"Come on, Joss, speed up! I'm not missing this one!" Brawly yelled ahead to them over the crashing of the surf and the roaring of the engine, the leader clutching his surfboard tightly as he was pulled along behind them.
"I'm gunning this thing as fast as it'll go!" Jocelyn shouted back, her hands tightly clutching the handlebars of the well worn jet ski. Seth sat on the vehicle behind her, his arms wrapped around her middle tightly to keep him from falling off the end. Jocelyn steered the vehicle across the open water at a breakneck speed for several seconds before she jerked the handles to the right. "Hold on tight!"
"Oh hell!" Seth clung even tighter to Jocelyn as they cut to the right, feeling as though he were about to be thrown off at any moment. Jocelyn accelerated until they caught up to the rising of a significant swell of a forming wave, taking care to match its speed. Once she was at a suitable speed, she lifted her hand, signalling Brawly from behind.
"She's all yours!" Jocelyn called back to him.
"Hell yeah!" Brawly detached himself from the line that tethered him to the jet ski just in time to catch the swell of the wave with his board. Once the wave's momentum started to carry him forward, he gradually stood up on the board. He rode the top of the wave back and forth to gather speed, and then when the wave broke, he whooped and zipped along its length.
Jocelyn oriented the vehicle so the two of them could get a clear view of Brawly as the leader successfully to position himself inside as the wave broke overtop him. Seth, despite Brawly's best efforts to teach him, hadn't progressed enough to handle waves this large or far out. Yet he found it enjoyable just to watch him, and riding with Jocelyn at such a high speed was fun as well.
In the end, Seth's surfing tutorial turned into him failing miserably and eating the ocean, and Brawly getting too caught up in his own enjoyment of the sport that he quickly stole the spotlight, earning the gazes of all those who saw him. Any normal person might be irritated by this, but it didn't bother Seth at all.
While Seth was out on the jet ski with Jocelyn, he'd allowed his two pokémon to relax in their own way. Princess spent most of her time deep in the water, sometimes surfacing to follow along with Seth, or to catch some waves of her own in a playful manner. As for Kyra, she was rather small and prone to being swept away by the sizable waves, so she reclined on a beach chair with a glass of lemonade, using an umbrella to keep cool.
They had so much fun, they stayed until slightly past noon, when Brawly started to tire. Before long, Seth found himself on the dock with the two of them, with Kyra standing beside him and Princess swimming in the ocean nearby, her head rising above the dock.
"Thanks guys; that was a real blast," Seth expressed to them while Jocelyn tethered up the jet ski.
"No problem, man. Sorry I kinda got carried away there...I said I was going to teach you," Brawly scratched the back of his neck with his free hand sheepishly.
"Hey, you tried to. It's not your fault I didn't take to it," Seth remarked with a rueful grin. The back of his throat still tasted of salt and iron, and his nose still stung from when he'd fallen face first into a crashing wave. "Really though, just having the chance to try made it worthwhile. As you know, I'm from Johto. I didn't really go anywhere or do anything back then."
"Why not? Johto's got plenty of its own sights to see, like the Bell Tower and the Lake of Rage," Brawly questioned curiously.
"Even if the people are all a bunch of stuffy prudes," Jocelyn commented. She finished tying up the jet ski and moved to join the two of them on the dock.
"Well, I didn't have a pokémon, for one. Nor did our family have a car due to Olivine's public transportation system. So I couldn't really get out of town. But ever since I came to Hoenn and met Kyra, I've been able to try so many new things. It's almost like I haven't really experienced life at all until I came here. Fishing, traveling, spelunking, surfing, camping… I just feel so free." Seth found himself confiding more than he intended to the two of them. He overly aware of them looking at him, and he flushed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so real."
"Hey, I'm happy for you, man. If you've only just started your journey, you've got a lot more in store for you," Brawly returned. "Your talent in pokémon aside, Hoenn's a beautiful place, especially when you get closer to the heart of the region."
"Geez, now you make me want to take a vacation," Jocelyn said with a sigh. She gave Brawly a pointed stare. "So what do you think, boss? Can I get a few days off?"
"Hah, don't even pretend you get that much work anyway," Brawly poked fun back at her, causing her to roll her eyes. "Nah, a vacation sounds fun. Maybe in a few weeks I'll head over to Verdanturf or Lavaridge."
"I've been meaning to visit Verdanturf, actually," Seth rejoined, recalling the time he'd spent with Wally with fond memories.
"Not a bad plan. The air's really clean there. To get there, take a ferry to Slateport and head north. When you hit Mauville, head east. It's a hike, but you seem like you'd enjoy the travel." Brawly instructed him. Seth nodded appreciatively, the long journey already sounding exciting to him. "Speaking of which, I'm guessing you'll be heading out soon."
"Yeah, as soon as I get changed and pick up my stuff from the hotel." As Seth answered, Brawly gestured, and the three walked back across the dock, heading back towards the town proper.
In the process, Seth recalled Princess to her pokéball, and then lifted Kyra up off of the ground. Now that she was a Kirlia, she was too large to sit on one shoulder, but he could still carry her. She either sat on his shoulders with her legs around his neck and her fingers on his head, or hung from his neck, her legs wrapped around his middle. She was heavier than before, so he sadly realized that he wouldn't be able to carry her all the time, especially when he was on the road.
"Cool. You should keep in touch. We did hit it off pretty well," Brawly suggested. "I'll give you my number when we get back to town."
"Sounds good to me," Seth replied.
Upon returning to town, both Brawly and Jocelyn gave their numbers for Seth to register in his PokéNav (though the latter hemmed and hawed about it at first). Then, they parted ways, leaving Seth once again on his own.
The first thing he did was call Jim and let him know he was ready to head to Slateport. Then, Seth stopped by the hotel, gathered his equipment, and checked out before making his way to the dock.
"Good to see you again, son! How went your gym challenge?" Jim met him there at the dock at the spot where his yacht was moored. His grizzled face lit up with an impressed smile when Seth flashed his shiny new Knuckle Badge at him. "No kidding? Congratulations, I bet it wasn't easy. And...I see your Ralts evolved too! Guess you had an eventful stay, eh?"
"You can say that again," Seth smirked as he light stepped onto the boat, setting his gear down in the main cabin. "I hope you didn't mind waiting for me as long as you did."
"Not at all! I have a few old friends in Dewford that were delighted to keep me on for a few days while you took care of business." Jim climbed on board as well, working to prepare the yacht for departure. "So, to Slateport next, is it?"
"That's right." Seth picked up Kyra and leaned against the wall, waiting for the yacht to start moving. "Do you know anything about Slateport?"
"Why, it's the capital of Hoenn, and the largest city in the region! Captain Stern heads the region's premier shipbuilding industry, and that's to say nothing about the large consumer market rivaled only by Lilycove's Department Store!" Jim explained as he climbed up to the driver's seat. "There's no Pokémon Gym there, if that's what you're after. But there is the Pokémon Fan Club and one of the region's many contest halls."
"No gym? That's fine with me. That means I can take care of my errand, explore, and then move on. Anyway, I'm gonna head to the prow." Seth parted from Jim there, and after donning a life jacket, he moved to the front of the boat and laid down upon the cushions there. Not long after, he felt the yacht rumble to life beneath him.
"We've got a long journey ahead of us! Let's go sailing, Peeko, my darling!" Jim proclaimed from the top of the yacht, his Wingull crying out with joy as the boat broke away from the dock and made its way towards the open ocean.
It had barely been an hour before Seth received a call on his PokéNav. One look at the screen told him that it was from his father. He smiled, easily discerning the reason behind the call. He opened the hatch in the prow of the boat and slipped into the sleeping area, where the wind wouldn't make it too hard to hear. Then, he unfolded the device and accepted the call
"Seth, it's your dad. I wanted to talk about your battle with Dewford's gym leader." Sure enough, the topic was precisely what Seth expected it to be. "Do you have a few minutes?"
"Yeah, I can talk. I'm on my way to Slateport at the moment." Seth laid back on the bed, setting the device down on the pillow beside him. "I'm guessing you had a chance to watch the gym channel?"
"That's right. I managed to catch the tail end of your battle, when Kyra evolved and defeated Brawly's Makuhita. How did it feel to see your first pokémon evolve?"
"I was really happy with and for her. It was like seeing all of our training pay off at once," Seth eagerly explained. Kyra slipped in through the hatch as well and lay by his side, fitting into the crook of his arm and resting her head against his torso. Seth smiled, petting her head affectionately. "I also learned that she was exceptional for a typical Ralts. The trainers I fought kept asking me why she hadn't evolved yet."
"It's true; Kyra seemed very strong for one of its species. To clarify, the raw ability of each species can depend on the individual, much like humans have differing heights, weights, and muscle mass. Some are more skilled in certain styles of fighting and show a propensity for certain moves than others may be. The same likely goes for psychic ability."
"They kept telling me that she was as strong as a Kirlia without being a Kirlia. So you're saying…"
"It means she's that much stronger as a Kirlia now. You're blessed with a strong pokémon, Seth. I assume I don't need to tell you to cherish her and determine how best to use her exceptional power," Norman clarified. Seth nodded out of habit, even though he knew Norman couldn't see him. "I had another point I wanted to bring up. We don't know everything about evolution, but I wouldn't depend on such a thing happening again, especially not when you need it most."
"Again? She's already evolved, hasn't she?" Seth found his father's words confusing.
"Some pokémon are capable of evolving more than once. Ralts happens to be one of them; They have not one, but two potential evolutions." Seth's eyes widened, and he gazed at Kirlia in shock after hearing this. He couldn't even imagine what she would look like after evolving a second time. "I could tell you of her next stage of evolution, but I imagine you'd wish to find out for yourself."
"Yeah...I would," Seth agreed. "But to go back to the gym battle, did you see Princess defeating Brawly's Machoke?"
"Unfortunately I didn't. I had just finished up a gym challenge when my assistant informed me that you were on TV. I have time now, however, if you want to talk about it with me now."
"I would appreciate that…"
For the remainder of the trip, Seth continued his conversation with his father, recounting the tale of his victory and discussing various alternative strategies that he could have taken to defeat Brawly more efficiently. Despite his dislike of pokémon battles, he found that discussing strategy was surprisingly entertaining, and even after they'd hung up, he found his mind racing with different tactics he could try.
Finally, the yacht drifted into a private dock off of Slateport City, which was every bit as large as Jim had led Seth to believe. Looking ahead from the prow, Seth could see the cityscape begin about a mile away from the dock, separated from him by an expanse of sandy beach so large it made Petalburg's beach look small.
He also got his first look at Hoenn's tallest mountain: the active volcano, Mt. Chimney. It was more than fifty miles away from where he was standing, but it was so tall that it impossible to miss its silhouette even from here. He could even make out the steady cloud of ash that rose from its summit. Seth shuddered with excitement, eagerly anticipating the time when he would climb that mountain himself.
He returned his gaze to the beach, Seth recalled with a start about the nature of beaches, and he almost panicked, but after looking at the beach ahead of him, he couldn't see any sign of sexual activity. He noticed a dock further down that separated this beach from another expanse, suggesting that the beach on the other side was where all of the sex happened.
"Whew, thank goodness this is a safe beach." Seth expressed. He felt disappointment emanating from Kyra, which confused him at first until he noticed her eyeing him...or in particular, his butt. He flushed, feeling suddenly self-conscious. His blush deepened when Kyra tugged on his shirt lightly, indicating the beach out beyond the wall with lustful emotions flooding across to him from her side of their mental link. "You want to... but there'd be so many other people…I couldn't possibly..."
Kyra huffed, tugging him even more insistently. It didn't seem like she was going to take no for an answer.
"But they'd all be looking at me while we...while I...oh dear…" Seth blushed harder than ever before at the thought. Feeling Kyra's amusement at his embarrassment didn't help his state of mind any, either. "Let's at least get to the city first, okay? I want to get rid of this briefcase so we can relax."
"You doing alright, son? Hope you didn't get yourself sunburned out there on the prow," Jim approached after securing the ship to the dock. Seth nearly jumped out of his skin, hoping the older man hadn't heard any of their conversation.
"No, I'm fine. Thanks," Seth stammered out, looking anywhere but at Jim. "What are you going to do from here? I don't think I'll be going back this way for a while."
"That's alright. Think I'll visit my old friend Captain Stern for a time, and then I'll head back to Petalburg. But you can always give me a ring if you need me," Jim answered with a hearty smile. "Now then, shall we get to the city?"
"Yes, lets," Seth agreed, and then the two of them made their way towards Slateport City together.
The city of Slateport stood in stark contrast to that of Rustboro. It appeared much more modern in its construction materials, the buildings being made of steel and white concrete. It looked as though a great deal of planning went into its layout. The roads made sense and were bordered with grass and sidewalks. Each street was clearly labeled, and bus stops were littered here and there, making it very easy to cross from one side of the city to another if Seth so chose.
The further he went in, the taller the buildings became, until veritable skyscrapers towered above him, making Seth feel very small. It was a feeling he was used to; this city wasn't so different than his home city of Olivine, with the exception of the maritime theme.
There were seafood restaurants and tourist shops scattered everywhere he went, capitalizing on their proximity to the sea. Most of the pokémon he saw were water type as well, though most of them he didn't recognize.
Despite the lack of a gym, there seemed to be trainers everywhere. Some of them were dressed differently than he'd expect from a trainer, and he soon found out why; they were contest goers. He recalled that there was a contest hall in town. No doubt May would be drawn to it, as she'd expressed that being a contest star was her passion. He decided to avoid the contest hall; he didn't think he was quite ready to face May again.
It was reaching late afternoon, so Seth checked into a decently priced hotel and stored his gear there, save for his backpack and the briefcase that was inside of it. He was determined to visit Captain Stern and drop off the blueprints immediately to rid himself of the burden that Devon Corporation had bestowed upon him.
After asking for directions, Seth discovered that although Captain Stern typically spent his time in the shipyards, this evening he was hosting a special exhibition at the Oceanic Museum on the mysteries of the deep sea. Therefore, Seth made reaching the museum his first priority.
At one of the tourist shops, Seth picked up a brochure for the Oceanic Museum to see what it was all about. He unfolded it and whistled with awe. Not only was it a museum, but also an aquarium holding pokémon from multiple regions that Seth had never seen before. Getting in required a rather hefty price, but Seth had the money for it, and he was interested.
Seth made his way through the city, hopping on one of the many busses to reach the museum in a timely manner. Yet, the moment he did so, he froze at what he saw aboard the bus… or more accurately, whom.
Two men sat in the back of the bus. Although Seth didn't recognize them, he certainly recognized their outfits. The both of them wore blue and white striped shirts and torn slacks, complete with a blue bandana marked with the unmistakable emblem of Team Aqua. Seth started to breathe heavily, panic seeping into his mind.
Kyra hugged his leg, feeling his emotions, and her presence was enough to help calm him. Seth gulped and made his way to one of the seats on the bus far away from the two members of Team Aqua. They didn't react to his presence, causing Seth to recall that they had no idea who he was and wouldn't have any reason to suspect that he had the briefcase with him.
Seth retrieved his PokéNav and shot off a message to Hester.
Seth: Team Aqua is in Slateport.
Hester responded almost instantly.
Hester: Oh no. Are you okay? Can I call you?
Seth: I'm fine, but don't call. They're in the bus with me.
Seth: How can they walk around in broad daylight like this? They're criminals, aren't they?
Hester: They are, but none of their crimes can be proven. Their leader does a good job covering his tracks and bolstering their public image with charity work.
Hester: They haven't caught on to you, have they?
Seth: No. I'm still safe, but I think they're going to the same place I am. They haven't gotten off yet.
Hester: Where's that?
Seth: The Ocean Museum. Captain Stern is there.
Hester: That's not good.
Hester: Watch yourself. I'll ask Mr. Stone to call ahead and let Stern know what's going on.
Seth: Thanks.
Seth closed the PokéNav, feeling much less sure of his task than before. He'd thought that it would be easy to find Captain Stern and drop off the briefcase, but Team Aqua's presence threw a wrench into his plans.
His spirits dropped even further when the bus pulled up to the Oceanic Museum. Gathering in front of the building was a veritable sea of blue and white striped shirts and bandannas. Yet he had to get off here, as this was the last stop and he didn't want to arouse suspicion. The two Team Aqua members on the bus followed him off, and were greeted by the other members in the street.
Seth felt very alone as he made his way towards the museum, surrounded by nothing but Team Aqua members. They mostly paid him no attention, thankfully, yet with every step he took, Seth could feel his heart pounding so hard he started to worry that they could hear it.
As he reached the front of the Museum, Seth noticed an area cordoned off with aluminum fences. They were arranged in such a way that it unmistakably formed a queue area, in which several of the Team Aqua members were already standing. Seth followed the line with his eyes to its end, where a ticket office was set up. The Team Aqua members standing in line were patiently waiting and purchasing entry like normal law-abiding citizens, likely to maintain their public image.
Seth bypassed the line and headed for the doors on the right side of the ticket office. He was certain that the staff would let him in once he apprised them of the situation. Yet, before he even made it more than halfway…
"Hey, buddy! You in the red!" An irritated female voice snapped at him, causing Seth to freeze in place, his blood running cold. As he was the only one nearby not dressed in Team Aqua colors, there was no doubt that she was talking to him. He turned, his heart sitting firmly in his throat. He found himself looking at a young tanned girl with dark brown hair held back by the Team Aqua bandana. She gestured angrily at the ground in front of her. "The line starts back here! Don't try to skip us!"
"O-Okay...I'm sorry." Seth meekly entered the line right behind her, recognizing that it wouldn't do him any good to ignore her and risk alerting the crowd to his intentions.
"Good boy. It's not fair to the rest of us, sitting here for nearly an hour." She smirked triumphantly once he had joined her in the line. She glanced over him while he stood there uncomfortably. "You got guts, sticking around when everyone's run off. Aren't you scared of us?"
"I've heard some things," Seth started to say. He trailed off when he noticed her eyes narrowing suspiciously. He hastily moved to say something positive about them. "But then I heard about what you all stand for, and it's honestly inspiring. The sea is a wonderful place, and it should be protected."
"Hah! That's what I like to hear! Kick all those blasted jerks away from the coastline and give back to the pokémon!" Seth's attempt to placate her went over well, and she clapped him on the back vigorously, a wide grin on her face. "You should talk up Archie when he gets here! I bet he'll let you join us, if you feel like we do!"
"That sounds...nice." Seth did his best to keep his dread from showing on his face. He'd heard that name once before: from Eric back in the woods. From the context she just gave him however, Archie seemed to be one of the higher ups in the gang; someone who was apparently capable of handling recruitment. "So what are all of you doing here?"
"To visit the museum, obviously. A place dedicated to the ocean is our kind of place, see?" The girl remained in high spirits as she answered. "Archie says we should come back every so often to remind us what we're fighting for!"
"Hey, Anya, quit talking to the outsider already!" One of the other grunts cuts in, looking less than pleased. "And you, buzz off! You're not Aqua; you're not welcome!"
"Hey, he could be! I think I got him interested in joining!" the girl, Anya, retorted before Seth could get a word in edgewise. She then put on a coy smile. "Or are you jealous?"
"Jealous of some pretty boy? Get real!" The other grunt snapped back. Seth found himself feeling both terrified and rather small as the two grunts argued about him, making him wonder if it wouldn't have been a better idea to wait for the line to dry up before trying to get in. "Don't tell me you go for that kind of thing!"
"Maybe I do! He is kinda cute. Are you so unsure of yourself that he makes you uncomfortable?" Anya stuck her tongue out at the other grunt. Jeers from the other grunts that were now getting interested in the conversation filled the air as she retaliated. She turned back to Seth as the other grunt blustered. "So doll, what's your name?"
"Uh...I'm Seth. It's a p-pleasure," Seth forced out. If the earth was his comfort zone, he felt as though he were flying to the moon with every second this awkward conversation continued. Anya sidled up alongside him and slapped his butt, causing him to yelp. At the same time, he felt a surge of indignity and animosity from Kyra. "Aa-ah!?"
"Tell you what; stick around and I'll show you to Archie when he gets here. Join up and help us fight the good fight, and you'll find that being a grunt comes with certain...benefits." Anya promised with a lecherous grin, the girl bending over in a way that accentuated her butt. The other grunt proceeded to smack it, causing her to glare. "Hey, you can have a turn after him if you want it!"
"Wait, is Anya actually in the mood for once?! Dibs!" Another grunt chimed in.
"Hell no, it's my turn!"
Thankfully, as the conversation grew crazier, the line started to move faster. Seth breathed a sigh of relief as he at last approached the ticket office. The lady behind the counter seemed relieved to see someone that wasn't Team Aqua, as she perked up upon seeing him.
"Hello and welcome to Slateport's Oceanic Museum! Will that be one ticket for you today?" The woman greeted him wearily.
"Yes please. Thanks, you're doing great," Seth did his best to reassure her, but ended up cringing a bit; he sounded as awkward as always. She smiled, seeming to understand his intent regardless. Seth accepted his ticket from her and stepped into the museum, at last getting to see its interior.
The lobby of the museum was large and roughly circular, easily able to hold the entirety of Team Aqua that came before and with Seth and more. Its most eye catching feature was the gigantic cylindrical aquarium made of thick glass dominating the center of the room. Seth could see all kinds of exotic pokémon swimming around inside, with several species present that he didn't recognize.
Flanking the tank on either side were two moving escalators - one leading up and the other leading down. A sign situated at the base of the up escalator indicated that the beginning of the self guided tour was in that general direction. As interesting as that sounded, he needed to find Captain Stern before Team Aqua caught on to his presence.
"Aah!" A gasp suddenly drew Seth's attention to in front of him, where a very hated and familiar face stood. Seth's hand clenched into a fist, anger surging through his veins and sweeping away his nervousness as he beheld Eric, who seemed just as dismayed to see him. Even as orders for Kyra leapt unbidden to his lips, Eric immediately backtracked out of the main lobby. "Oh hell no. I'm not fighting you and that little white demon again! No way, no how! To hell with this mission!"
Eric high tailed it out of sight, dashing right out of the aquarium as though his pants were on fire. Seth watched him go, utterly bemused. Kyra immediately started to squeak with amusement, such that Seth had to chuckle a little despite himself.
"Little white demon? That's a good name," Seth teased, earning a trace of pride from Kyra, who by the way she ran a finger through her hair, seemed to like the nickname as well. "That could have gone much worse."
"What could?" Seth had to stifle a gasp of surprise as Anya appeared next to him. She looked bored and not at all inclined to climb the escalator like some of the other grunts. "Eric took off pretty quick. What's all that about? You know him?"
"I…." Seth was caught off guard and didn't know what kind of answer to give her. He fumbled about in his mind for an easy lie he could use. "I think he said he forgot something important. He didn't say what."
"What could he possibly forget? Unless the moron left his pokémon behind." Anya shrugged with disbelief. "Wouldn't put it past him; he's been on a streak of stupid recently. You know he got his ass beat twice in a row by the same trainer?"
"Did he? That is pretty sad, I guess…" Seth responded, hating how nervous he sounded. Lying had never been his strong suit, as he was very morally opposed to it. Yet now he had no choice. He tried to come up with a way to get rid of her. "So are you going to go on the tour?"
"Mmm...thinking about it. Wanna come with me?" Anya asked. Seth mentally cursed; he'd just ended up shooting himself in the foot. The situation in which he found himself seemed to get worse and worse with every passing minute.
"Sir, can I see your ticket?" Thankfully, his savior came in the form of a man wearing a small headset and the outfit of a staff member. The man looked severe and was staring directly at Seth, his hand stretched out expectantly. Seth saw the perfect opportunity to get out of his current predicament.
"Yeah sure, one second…" Seth made a show of searching his pockets and bags, even though the ticket was securely in his wallet where he put it. He did his best to act flustered. "Wait, I could have sworn I had it...did I drop it somewhere?"
"You klutz, are you serious? You literally walked in minutes ago. How is that even possible!?" Anya demanded. Seth did his best to look beleaguered.
"Sorry, if you don't have a ticket, you can't go on the tour." The staff member placed a heavy hand on Seth's shoulder, his voice laden with disapproval and condescension. "Just because you're hanging with all these Team Aqua members doesn't make you special. You have to wait in line like everyone else. Come with me, or I'll call security."
"How lame...you're really gonna make me wait because of your slippery ass fingers!?" Anya called after him, stamping her foot with impatience. Yet even her irritated yells were shut out once the staff member led Seth outside.
The moment the door shut behind them and they were out of sight, the staff member placed a finger to his lips and guided Seth around a corner to the side of the building. "You're Seth, aren't you?" the man asked in a hushed voice. When Seth nodded, he smiled. "I heard from Captain Stern that you were coming. You looked like you needed a save."
"I did. That Anya girl was relentless. She wouldn't leave me alone," Seth admitted. He noticed that the man was leading him to a side entrance to the museum. Seth allowed himself to feel relief; this way he could avoid Team Aqua and complete his task. He sighed and pressed a hand against his head. "I'm so done with Team Aqua. Once this is over, I'm never having anything to do with them again."
"They've been a plague on our business for a while. They resist our every motion to expand our sea exhibits, and that's not even counting their efforts against any kind of seaward expansion," the staff member opened the side door and ushered him inside, shutting it behind him. Inside was a stairwell that led to the administrative levels of the aquarium. However, they didn't get very far up before a faint beep sounded from the man's headset. He paused and held a finger up to it. "So soon? Damn."
"Is something wrong?" Seth questioned nervously.
"Team Aqua is getting rowdy. They're going off the path for the tour and getting into places they shouldn't be. Security is trying to deal with them, but battles are currently breaking out," the man lowered his hand, the urgency of the situation plainly evident in his expression. He pointed upstairs. "I need to go help out. Head up the stairs to the top floor and follow the hall into the office at the end. Captain Stern should be there waiting for you. Be careful. This could get much worse."
"Okay. You be careful too." Seth didn't waste any time. He briefly gestured for Kyra to follow him and then he ran up the stairs, throwing caution to the wind now that the situation was quickly deteriorating. He followed the directions he was given to the letter, reaching the top of the stairs and shoving open the door to find himself in a hallway that felt reminiscent in design to Adam's lab.
As he went, he became aware of a commotion coming from the other stairwells consisting of crashing, shouting, and clanging, along with the unmistakable sound of pokéballs opening. Seth broke into a sweat and increased his speed. When he reached the door at the end of the hall, he slammed into it and jiggled with the handle until it opened. Not caring how undignified he looked, he swiftly turned and closed it harshly behind him once Kyra had entered as well. He immediately locked it behind him.
"Who are…?" A shocked voice sounded from behind him. Seth turned to see a fairly nondescript man with neatly groomed brown hair wearing a gray suit sitting at the desk, where he appeared to have been working on the computer located there. His shock soon faded once he had enough time to get a good look at Seth. "You're not a member of Team Aqua. You must be Seth, then?"
"Captain Stern?" Seth moved to the desk, removing his bag and placing it on the ground. When the man nodded, Seth sighed with relief, and then he produced the briefcase that had caused so much trouble. He had no idea what Team Aqua wanted to do with these blueprints, but he only knew he didn't want people like them to achieve their goals. "Here. Mr. Stone wanted me to give this to you...at the risk of an entire gang of criminals wanting me dead."
"The blueprints!" Stern gratefully took the briefcase and set it on the desk, the tired man looking greatly relieved. "At long last. Team Aqua has been hounding us ever since they found out what we were trying to do. I hope they didn't give you much trouble."
"I should be saying the same to you. They're tearing up the place right now, looking for me," Seth was exhausted, so he slumped down against the desk, panting. "Why are there so many of them here?"
"They wanted these blueprints, and they couldn't find them after Jonathan gave them to you. So they came to Slateport, and they've been lurking about ever since," Stern rose from the desk and moved over to the window. "It only makes sense; if you can't find your quarry, go to their destination, and ambush them on arrival."
"Mr. Stone never said this would happen. He said I wouldn't have any problems," Seth repeated, fervently wishing that he was anywhere other than here. Kyra moved up against him, hugging his arm in an attempt to calm his racing mind. "But now if I go out there, they'll find me. They know what I've done now."
"I've already pushed the panic button. It won't be long before the police arrive," Captain Stern attempted to assure him. Seth did gain some manner of comfort from that. He just had to sit tight until such time that the police arrived, and this whole mess would be over with. Then he would get someplace far away from here and never have to think about Team Aqua again. "I'm sorry you had to go through this. We never should have brought someone in to take care of our problems for us, especially not someone as young as yourself."
"Yeah…" Seth couldn't help but be shaken, even as Kyra gazed over him with concern. Yet he didn't have any further time to collect himself. He could hear voices in the hallway beyond, getting closer with every passing second.
"They're in here! Hey, Captain Stern!" A loud voice called from beyond the door. Stern's expression hardened upon hearing it, but he didn't make any other action. "We know you're in there! Open up, and we won't have to get violent!"
"Is that…" There could be no mistaking that it was Team Aqua that was outside. Seth shuddered, recognizing that there was no escape from this situation. He could only guess how many of their grunts were outside, blocking their retreat. Before he could panic further, however, Kyra stepped in front of him., her fingers clasped together on the front of her skirt. Unlike him, she was calm and composed. Seth cold feel a light breeze around her as she summoned up her psychic energy. "Kyra?"
Seth suddenly remembered his last interaction with Team Aqua. With just Kyra and Princess, he'd utterly knocked Eric's pokémon aside and humiliated him, such that he even fled on sight upon their reunion in the museum hallway. Eric had been absolutely no challenge. And now...Kyra had evolved, and strong enough to put what she'd been back then to shame. This caused him to think...what did he have to fear?
"Captain Stern…" Seth got to his feet, reaching for his second pokéball. Something slammed against the other side of the door; it wouldn't be long before the Team Aqua grunts broke it down. "I'm going to hold them off until the police get here."
"Are you sure?" Stern appeared visibly surprised by Seth's sudden change in tune. "I hate to say it, but at this stage it may be easier to surrender. These blueprints aren't worth your life, after all."
"This is a little much for me; taking on all of them at once...but there's no guarantee they won't just kill us anyway even if we surrender. Besides, I have faith in Kyra...and Princess." Seth clicked the button on his second pokéball and released all twenty feet of her into the room. Ignoring Stern, he met Princess's gaze. "Princess, we're fighting Team Aqua. Don't let them get anywhere near Captain Stern."
Princess gave a soulful hum, and then she circled around the front of the desk, forming an impassable barrier in the form of her cream colored scales. Seth moved himself behind Princess and out of harm's way, doing his best to swallow his fear.
"Kyra, give them a shock," Seth ordered, as the door began to crumple inwards from the repeated impacts. Kyra nodded. The Kirlia lifted her arms, conjuring a smattering of glowing leaves from nothing and surrounding herself in them like a veil of flowers caught in the wind. Seth gathered his courage and spoke his resolve aloud, finding that saying it aloud helped his confidence. "Get violent all you want, you thugs. I've dealt with your kind before."
The lock on the door finally broke, and it slammed open to admit a surge of blue and white. First into the room was a small group of Poochyena, along with one larger canine pokémon that looked similar, yet larger, than the others. Seth quickly scanned it, revealing it to be a Mightyena, the evolved form of Poochyena. No doubt it would prove tougher than its smaller companions.
"That took so much longer than it should have." The sneering Team Aqua members who owned the dogs came in as well, cracking their knuckles and making their violent intentions clear. The grunt who spoke stood behind the Mightyena, his stature suggesting a position of relative authority. He glared at Seth. "You've made us angry, forcing us to chase you halfway across Hoenn for these blueprints."
"I didn't force you to do anything." Once again, Seth found himself surprised by how calm and serious he sounded. Every time the fear threatened to take hold, he just reminded himself of the presence of both of his pokémon, who had never before let him down. "Try developing something on your own, instead of taking it from others."
"And just who in the hell are you supposed to be, anyway?" the lead grunt demanded, his words echoed by the grunts surrounding him. "You don't look like anyone from Devon, or the security guys we thrashed. So are you just some white knight who thought he'd step in and save the corporation?"
"Don't make me laugh!" The grunt snapped when Seth didn't answer. "I bet you're comfortable, standing up there on your perceived moral high ground. I bet you're being paid handsomely for this, just like any other corporate scumbag who thinks themselves above nature!"
Seth had to admit that the grunt wasn't entirely wrong. The whole reason he decided to do this in the first place was partly because of the money Jonathan was paying him. It would be easy for him to wash his hands of the whole endeavor and just give the grunts what they wanted; he wasn't a saint by any means. He knew that, but still...
"How about you? You think you're any better? You just admitted to harming the security that was just doing their jobs, all to take something that isn't even yours. And that's not even counting the time another of you tried to kill me and innocent people just because it was convenient for you. Don't talk to me about moral high grounds," Seth snapped back, his anger overtaking his fear.
"You've got a real big mouth…" the lead grunt's eyes narrowed, his fury rising and seeping into his tone. "I bet you think it's real easy to paint us as black and yourself as white. How dare you talk about us like you understand what we're fighting for? Do you even know what the corporation you're defending has done to the sea? Don't think you're fighting on the side of good here!"
"I really don't care who did what. I'd like to think I know what's right and wrong, and if you think that harming people to get your way is right, then I'd rather be wrong," Seth stood his ground, despite the curiosity that the grunt's words inspired in him. Had Devon Corporation and Captain Stern done something so wrong that it riled up the activists for the sea? "You should leave. You're not going to get what you want."
"You short sighted little…!" The grunt snapped, losing his patience. "Fine! Have it your way, brat! Everyone, with me! Bring him down and pry the blueprints from their cold dead hands if you have to!"
"Yeah! We fight for the sea!"
"Go, Poochyena!"
"Bring them down, Zubat!"
"For Archie, and the ocean!"
The pack of Poochyena howled in unison and broke into a run across the office floor, closing the distance between them and Seth's pokémon in an instant. Behind them, a smattering of Zubat took to the air, their cries mixing with the baying of the dogs to form a discordant cacophony.
"Kyra, Princess!" Seth ordered. Kyra gave a cry and swept her hands forward, bringing down a torrent of psychically empowered leaves upon the dogs. Those in the front of the pack were downed instantly, the leaves slicing through their fur and bursting with energy. Those that made it past lunged at Kyra, but she simply teleported away, up into the air. While in the air, she grabbed two of the Zubat in the air with her telekinesis, used them to block poison spit from other Zubat, and then she hurled them into the floor. The Team Aqua grunts yelped and scattered to get away from them, though some weren't so lucky.
As for the Poochyena who made it past Kyra, Princess was waiting for them. She lifted her tail and whipped it towards them, releasing a thin slice of water that blasted them back just long enough for her to pick them off one by one with streams of water conjured from the tip of her nose.
"Heh, not bad. Team Aqua, rotate out!" The lead grunt ordered. Those whose pokémon had fallen recalled them to their pokéballs and retreated from the room, allowing others to take their place and release their own pokémon. Before long, the room was once more filled with Poochyena and Zubat.
"Princess, keep them back!" Princess summoned up a wave of water and sent it coursing through the room, slowing the charge of Poochyena to buy them time while Kyra sent a shower of leaves up towards the Zubat. Unfortunately, Seth soon discovered that despite the fact her leaves were coated with energy, they were still considered grass-type, and did little to dissuade the Zubat from raining poison down on her.
Kyra summoned up her barrier to keep the poison from hitting her, and when a Zubat got too close to her, she caught it with her telekinesis and made it regret the day it challenged her. She channeled her energies inward and scrambled its mind, such that the Zubat had difficulty telling friend from foe and ended up targeting its own fellow teammates until it eventually wiped out from exhaustion.
Princess whipped up a whirlwind with her tail and send it raging through the room towards the Poochyena, the small twister picking up water as it went and tossing aside any pokémon that got close.
"Take cover!" The lead grunt ordered. The grunts scattered as the whirlwind reached them and tore into the wall, destroying the plaster and opening up even more room. Seth's heart sank as he saw just how many grunts were lined up outside the door, ready to take him on. "You're tough...but you can't handle us all! Bring in the Carvanha!"
As Princess sent in another whirlwind of water and air, several grunts came forward to replace the fallen like before...along with Anya.
"You were supposed to join us! I thought we thought the same!" Anya shrieked as she released an unfamiliar fish-like pokémon colored a deep blue on the top and red on the bottom that swam through the now ankle deep water in the room. "Carvanha! Make him regret playing me for a fool!"
Several other grunts released Carvanha as well, and with their combined abilities, they flooded the room with even more water, causing the water level to rise ever higher, even as it strreamed out of the room and into the hallway. Captain Stern cursed and climbed atop the desk as the outlets shorted out and his computer went dead.
The Carvanha swarmed through the water and leapt up and out at Kyra, their jaws opening to reveal rows of lethal teeth. Another group of Carvanha swam around her and leapt at Princess, who whipped them away with her tail and her neck, if necessary. Yet surprisingly, their skin was rough and tore at Princess, leaving behind reddened marks that caused her pain.
As for Kyra, she fended off the fish easily with her leaves and telekinesis. She made good use of her foresight ability, using it to predict whenever they would attempt to circle around behind her to attack her blind spot.
Seth couldn't help but feel elated as Kyra and Princess dismantled wave after wave of pokémon. Kyra was a deadly opponent; she was never in one place for long, and she made great use of her surroundings, hurling bits of broken machinery at her opponents. Princess was an immovable wall. She shrugged off any hits she'd take, and would retaliate with jets of water or her tail. Kyra's favorite tactic was to trap her foes between herself and Princess, where they would be easily defeated. Yet, despite how many pokémon they were downing, Seth knew they couldn't keep this up forever.
"For Archie, and the ocean!" The lead grunt joined the fight, directing his Mightyena into battle. The mighty canine zipped forward through the water and reached Kyra, avoiding her leaves and negating her psychic abilities with its dark type nature. Kyra's eyes flashed, and she teleported away...right into a group of another Poochyena.
Kyra frantically fended them off, using more and more psychic power to keep them from touching her with her barrier and leaves. Yet she was starting to tire, causing her reactions to be slower than usual. As a Zubat zipped down from above to divebomb her, she lifted her head and released an energy charged cry, knocking it out, but allowing the other Poochyena to reach her due to her lack of focus. Seth gasped as she started to take injuries.
Even Princess was struggling now. She slithered forward and contended with the Mightyena, attempting to keep it away from Kyra with everything she had. Yet it was fast, and proved itself adept at dodging her tail whips. Eventually, the Mightyena seized the moment to bite down on Princess's tail...and to Seth's shock, sparks of electricity emanated from the canine's fangs. Princess shook and convulsed, the electricity proving very harmful to her.
The Mightyena was suddenly repulsed as a computer monitor slammed into it, its weight bearing the canine to the ground. Kyra stood among the fallen Poochyena, the Kirlia panting heavily as she used her telekinesis to wrap the cords of the monitor around the Mightyena's body in an attempt to restrict it.
"Carvanha! Bring that snake down!" Anya called, the grunt having withheld her pokémon until the opportune moment. Her Carvanha swam forward and together with several others, leapt at Princess, who was forced to use her body to block them or risk Kyra losing focus and letting the Mightyena flee. Seth bit his lip, feeling helpless as Princess took hit after hit, her body accumulating bruises, abrasions, and bite marks as the Carvanha bit down on her.
"Come on, just a little longer!" Seth urged his pokémon, even as his heart sank. They were getting tired and accumulating injuries; it was clear that before long the sheer number of their opponents would overwhelm them.
As the battle continued, another more distinctive figure made his way into the hallway, easily visible through the destroyed wall. Despite what was happening, Seth couldn't help but notice him. The dark skinned man stood tall, dressed in tight fitting full body swimsuit colored mostly a dark blue, with cyan streaks down near his ankles and a white area beneath each arm. A golden chain necklace with a small anchor at its lowest point hung around his neck, and a similar gold chain was wrapped around his waist, from which a black ragged cape designed like a fishing net was suspended.
As for his face, much like the other grunts, he wore a blue bandanna with the Team Aqua symbol emblazoned upon it. Yet, he possessed a ruggedly handsome face with a long mustache and a pointed brown beard. His confident expression combined with the black design in the shape of an X painted across his brow gave him an imposing appearance.
It was obvious that he was important, both from his stature, gait, and the way that the grunts cheered and moved out of his way. Before long, the man made his way into the room, where the battle continued to rage. The man watched as the lead grunt's Mightyena struggled to escape its bonds, tearing at the cables with its teeth. He watched as Kyra panted heavily, her psychic energy running on empty and her body covered with minor scrapes and abrasions from the long battle. He watched as Princess's head hung low as her stamina ran low while she fought off the remaining Carvanha, and their combined dismay as even more pokémon entered the fray from the side of Team Aqua.
"That's enough!" the man finally commanded, his voice a gruff, rumbling bass. Just like that, the grunts immediately recalled their pokémon, the battle coming to an end. The lead grunt retrieved his Mightyena, the computer monitor falling to the ground and breaking. Even Anya recalled her Carvanha without question. "What's all this now? I came to see what was taking you all so long to snatch a briefcase, and you're all being held up by a single trainer?"
"We're sorry, Archie! He's...very strong!" The lead grunt apologized hastily, a sentiment that was echoed by the others, who showed nothing but the utmost respect for the man before him. Seth's eyes widened when he heard them refer to the man as "Archie." This was the man he'd heard so much about?
"I can see that. I'm impressed that one could stand for so long against so many of us." Archie gave brushed his beard with a hand, looking at Seth with great interest. "Is he a member of Team Magma?"
"I don't think so. He doesn't wear their colors," the lead grunt answered. Seth's brow wrinkled in confusion. He hadn't heard the name of that team before, but if they were anything like Team Aqua, they couldn't be anything good.
"And he also seemed to empathize with our cause...until he back-stabbed us!" Anya added.
"Did he now? An independent trainer then…" With his other hand, Archie clicked one of the pokéballs on his belt, and released another unfamiliar pokémon, only this one was a large torpedo shaped aquatic type with rough skin covered with denticles so large Seth could see them from here, and a mouth large enough to accommodate the entirety of a human body if it so chose. "I have half a mind to test this trainer for myself...shall we, Sharpedo?"
"Kyra, Princess!" Seth didn't give him a chance to order his pokémon on the offense. Seth shot out his hand, and both Kyra and Princess responded by crying out with fury and releasing the rest of their energy into their strongest attacks. Kyra brought her fingers together to form an orb of glowing psychic power, while Princess whipped up an even larger whirlwind of water. Together, they sent them at the Sharpedo all at once.
Yet, despite their valiant effort, Archie only looked disappointed. The Sharpedo roared, and much to Seth's utter shock, it summoned up a sheer wall of water so dense that it completely obscured the shark and the rest of the grunts from view, and so strong that it rendered both attacks from Seth's pokémon completely ineffective.
"On second thought, this isn't very sporting of me, to battle you with your pokémon in such a state," Archie admitted when the wall of water dissipated. He gave a shrug, putting on an understanding expression, as though this was only to be expected. For the first time, he addressed Seth directly. "You did well, trainer, to fend off my Team Aqua on your own for as long as you did. Hahaha, yes! Color me interested! Let us converse then! I am Archie, leader of Team Aqua! Tell me your name!"
Seth realized that he had absolutely no chance against Archie the way things were now. Archie's Sharpedo was clearly stronger than anything he'd ever faced before, and his pokémon were both hurt and tired from the long battle they'd just endured. If Archie, who was now confirmed to be none other than the villainous team's leader, wanted to converse, Seth seized the chance. The police couldn't be too much further away, and every moment counted.
"I'm Seth Rhines. I can't say it's a pleasure," Seth forced himself to say, despite how thoroughly intimidated he was by the man before him.
"Seth...I shall remember that. A Kirlia, and the ever beautiful Milotic...might you be the one who defeated Eric not once, but twice?" Archie asked next, seeming more curious than angry. When Seth nodded, he bellowed with laughter. "That's one mystery solved! Only a trainer of your caliber could make such a mockery of my grunts! I could use someone like you in my team, to stand for the ocean! What do you say?"
"Did…" Seth realized with a shock that Archie had just asked him to join Team Aqua. He couldn't help but feel insulted, after everything he'd seen from them. "Are you serious? You want me to join you!?"
"Aye, that I do. Why do you sound so shocked? I'd be a fool to turn down the chance to recruit such a promising young trainer! Though, I'll admit you may not have seen the best of us here today." Archie brushed his beard once again, appearing to be thinking about his next words. "How much do you know of my Team Aqua, and our noble goals?"
"Supposedly you want to protect the sea, and fight against coastal development," Seth recounted what he knew, thanking his luck that Archie liked to talk so much. "It's not a bad goal, but then you harm innocents and bully others to get what you want."
"That's not even half of what we do." Archie waggled a finger, as if chiding an ignorant child. He then narrowed his eyes, his voice filling with fervor. "Do you even know what the ocean is? It's more than just a large body of water; it's a beautiful primordial entity from which all life once originated. Even now, it nurtures us like a mother loving her children. It gifts us with fresh water to drink through the water cycle, and helps to sustain us through the exchange of gasses integral to our atmosphere. It provides us with the sustenance necessary for survival and provides homes for hundreds of millions of pokémon. Do you understand what that means?"
"I…" Seth began, but it was clear that Archie's question was rhetorical, as the Team Aqua leader just cut across him.
"It means that without the ocean, there would be no life, and no planet as you know it! Our very existence depends on the wellbeing of the ocean!" Archie continued his speech, the vehemence in his voice making it very clear that he was truly passionate about everything he said. Even the grunts behind him were nodding and vocally agreeing with his words. Archie's brow furrowed, his gaze darkening. "So, how do we, humanity, repay our mother ocean for her kindness?"
"We spit upon her! We run our factories and our power plants, we dump our chemical waste, our sewage, and even our trash into the sea, poisoning and sickening her! We expand too much and we overfish and imprison aquatic pokémon into extinction, taking our own existence as a right, rather than a privilege gifted to us by the benevolent sea! Whether through negligence, oversight, or a blatant disregard for the gifts she gives us, we are killing the ocean and the precious life that lives within it, and through extension, the planet!" Archie continued, clenching one hand into a fist and holding it out before him. The grunts behind him were truly into his words, some of them sniffling while others clenched their jaws with fury. He stepped closer, never taking his gaze away from Seth. "We, Team Aqua, will not let this happen! We will band together in the name of Kyogre and fight against the selfish expansion of humanity, and give back to the sea! Isn't that right, Team Aqua!?"
The grunts let out a roar of approval at their leader's speech, stamping on the ground and thrusting their fists into the air. Seth was speechless in the wake of such passion. He felt moved himself, despite knowing just how violent Team Aqua could be. He couldn't argue with Archie's logic, either; it was no secret to him that water pollution awareness movements were gaining traction across the world. He found it noble to do so much for the ocean, but there was one thing he couldn't understand.
"That sounds nice, but then why do you hurt people and steal from them? I saw one of your men strike down an innocent man just to steal his bike. How am I supposed to believe you're not just criminals?" Seth demanded, his courage bolstered by his pokémon who had made their way back to him.
"You must understand, Seth. Change such as the kind I suggest isn't something humanity will accept so easily. People nod their heads and agree that saving the ocean is a good thing, but then they do nothing...nay, worse than nothing. They continue to expand and put the sea at risk, believing that such acts are justified if it makes their lives more convenient. Shall I tell you about the factory constructed in Lilycove that gave everyone seemingly clean energy? Shall I tell you about the cove that turned into a den of Grimer and Muk as a result?" Archie seemed to have an argument even for this. "Do you think those greedy bastards at the top would listen to us, in the wake of the profit they brought in!? Of course not...human morality falls flat in the face of money, and that factory was no exception. So we brought it down, and to this day the cove is once more sparkling clean. What is a few crimes, in the face of such results!?
"But that's…" Seth attempted to argue, but Archie simply wasn't slowing down.
"We can shake signs and yell as loud as we want, but the world won't change simply because our cause is righteous. We have to enact the change we want to see upon the world ourselves, even if it means trampling others underfoot. You see, this isn't a movement anymore. This is a war, and we will fight to save the sea, even if it means fighting against that which humanity considers natural and right!" Archie stretched out his hand to Seth in invitation. "Join us, Seth. Surely you can see the way the world is heading if we sit still and do nothing. Join us, and don the colors of the sea with the rest of us!"
Seth glanced at the hand, and then at the hopeful faces of the other grunts that were also watching him for an answer. His mind was filled with turmoil as he battled with his thoughts. Archie made an excellent case; in the face of such charisma, it was no wonder that so many people had joined his cause. If it weren't for the things he'd seen from Eric and the other grunts here, he felt as though he would have given Archie's offer some serious consideration.
"Damn...Archie, the police are here, and they mean business!" One of the grunts interrupted before Seth could even begin to gather his thoughts. "They've brought Arcanine and Machokes with them!"
"Tch…it's not the right time to engage the authorities." Archie withdrew his hand, and then he stepped back to the rest of his team members. "Think about it, Seth. I'll have your answer the next time we see one another. As for those blueprints...keep them for now. We'll find another way. Stand in our way again, however, and there will be consequences."
With that, Archie recalled his Sharpedo and strode back through the hallway, snapping out orders and organizing the grunts into an orderly retreat. It wasn't long before Seth was alone with Captain Stern in the office, the floors sodden and creaking, and the desk thoroughly destroyed. Seth turned to his weary pokémon, recognizing that they needed his immediate attention.
"Good job, both of you. Let me get you to a PokéCenter." Seth was no fool; he knew that with wounds like these, they'd need more treatment than what a potion could give them. He recalled Princess and even Kyra to their pokéballs, in order to not strain them any further. He placed his head in his hands. "Gosh, what have I gotten myself into…"
"What a mess. Come on, let's get out of this room before the floor collapses," Stern moved to stand beside Seth, and together the two of them left the room. "I can't thank you enough for coming to my aid like that. I regret that you had to get involved in the first place."
"It's been a trial, but it's over now. I'm going to avoid those guys like the plague from now on," Seth responded. Despite his mental confusion, he did manage to figure out one thing. Whether or not Archie had a good argument or not, he didn't set out from Littleroot to get involved in a moment intent on social reform through force. He just wanted to explore with his pokémon. "That Archie is quite a character, though. I feel like he could make anything sound like a good idea."
"Now you see why Team Aqua is so dangerous." Stern shook his head, chuckling darkly. "Archie is powerful and charismatic, and with his pretty words he easily gathers to his side other good-natured people looking to make a difference."
"You don't agree with his ideal?" Seth asked as he regained his breath.
"Of course I do. He and I are trying to do the same thing, just with different methods. Yet I refuse to subscribe to his 'ends justify the means' mentality," Stern replied seriously. "Don't let his zealotry pull you in. He may mean well, but there's always another way to accomplish your goals without harming people in the process."
"Zealotry? I guess that seems right. He did mention Kyogre, after all," Seth recalled, remembering the tale Steven had told him back in the cave on Dewford. "Do you think he really believes in such tales?"
"The tale of Kyogre and Groudon? Who knows if he really believes, but Kyogre proves a strong image for him to rally behind. That legendary being is essentially synonymous with the sea, if you go by that particular church's beliefs," Stern shrugged. Seth glanced at him with a raised brow. "Hm? I'm ambivalent on the subject, but being a man of the sea, I know the legends associated with it."
"I guess that makes sense." Seth and Stern reached the end of the hallway. Out the window, Seth could see a significant gathering of police vehicles. "Shall we go meet with the police?"
"That would likely be best. I'll endeavor to make sure you're not kept for very long, however." Stern stated, the man pausing with his hand on the door to the stairwell. "Team Aqua attacked my business and my security; I've seen everything you have. There's no need for you to subjected to police attention and the legal process...for the time being."
"'For the time being?'" Seth repeated, confused. Stern opened the door, and the two of them started to descend the stairwell.
"Naturally I'll be pressing charges against the team for destruction of property, assault, attempted murder, etcetera. Should the time ever come that Archie is brought to trial, you'll likely be called in as a material witness."
"You don't seem confident that that'll happen," Seth observed.
"I'm just being realistic. Archie's not stupid; before now he's carried out his activities without anyone being able to prove anything. If he's become this bold...it must mean that either he's confident in his strength as a team, or whatever he's planning is coming together," Stern explained. "Even if the law were to declare Team Aqua criminals right now, unless they could apprehend them, it would be pointless."
"I suppose so. I'm just planning to get as far away from this mess as possible. But I'll help as a witness if I need to." Seth decided that this Team Aqua situation was getting far too out of control. Although he didn't regret what he'd done, he did regret that he'd ended up getting the attention of someone like Archie.
"That's all anyone can ask."
Not long after they entered the first floor, the police met with Seth and Captain Stern, marking the first time Seth had ever seen Hoenn's law enforcement. The first thing he noticed was that all of them had a significant amount of pokémon, with the visible ones consisting of Machop and Machoke as well as Growlithe and Arcanine. The former two were carrying injured members of the staff out to the ambulances parked out front, while the latter were searching for any remaining Team Aqua members that hadn't already fled.
Captain Stern cooperated fully with the police, though he did his best to monopolize the questions, answering for Seth whenever a question was directed at him. Stern presented Seth as a good Samaritan trainer that just happened to help out, which the police thanked him for.
In the end, Seth was dismissed, but was given a free ride to the PokéCenter in one of the ambulances. It was a new experience for him, but he couldn't say it was a comfortable ride. While the two medics aboard tended to the injured staff member, Seth sat on the floor, holding his two pokéballs and worrying about the pokémon inside.
When the ambulance dropped him off, Seth walked up to the PokéCenter, which marked the first time he'd ever been to one. As they were both funded by the same company, the building closely resembled the PokéMart, with the exception of an overall crimson theme as opposed to blue. It was also much larger and more sophisticated, with automatic doors and other automated features such as escalators.
Seth handed off his pokémon to the nurses behind the front counter, who informed him it would take a few hours for his pokémon to be back to full strength. He winced upon hearing that; it was already fairly late. There was no way he wanted to go back to the hotel without them, so he sat down in the front room, where an assortment of tables and cushions were laid out for other trainers doing the same. Even refreshments were provided for trainers in particular, so Seth decided to get dinner here as well.
Naturally it wasn't long before he received a series of calls on his PokéNav. The first was from Jim, who had heard about the fiasco at the Oceanic Museum and was worried about him. Seth did his best to alleviate his worries, though he was grateful for the concern. The next call however…
"Seth? It's Jonathan Stone." Seth nearly dropped the PokéNav; he expected a call from Hester, but not the CEO himself. "Captain Stern called me and told me about what happened at the Museum. I wanted to apologize for not foreseeing that outcome, and thrusting you into the thick of it."
"Thank you; it was quite a trial." Seth didn't really know how to respond. He knew that anyone else might be angry with Mr. Stone for using him like this, but he simply didn't feel that way; he was just glad he made it through. "But it's over now, and the briefcase is safe."
"You understate events. Stern told me that you fought off an entire horde of those Team Aqua thugs for him with incredible skill, and even faced down their leader. Truly, I thank you. That's more than I ever would have asked of you. Just like before, you've gone above and beyond for us, and that's not something I'll forget anytime soon." Seth suddenly heard a beep in his ear. "I've set up a corporate account for you here on our system, and wired a significant amount of funds to it, including hazard pay for your trouble. I've just sent you instructions on how to transfer the money to your personal account."
"You really didn't need to...I…" Seth tried to say.
"I honor my agreements. This is a matter of principle on my part, so I won't hear of any objections. You earned every dollar. So treat yourself to something expensive, on me." Jonathan insisted, cutting Seth off. "I won't make you do anything else for me, considering how much I put you through already. Take care of yourself, Seth."
"Thanks, and you too." Seth heard him hang up on the other end of the line, and took a look at the long text he'd received from Jonathan that contained the instructions he mentioned.
Seth logged into one of the center's complementary computers reserved for trainers and began to follow the steps. When he managed to get into his newly made corporate bank account, his eyes bugged out at the sheer amount of money that Jonathan had given him. This made his early sum look like nothing. With money like this, he could easily afford to live in one of Slateport's best hotels, in the penthouse suite, for weeks.
He couldn't help but let out a whistle. Just like that, all of his money problems were gone for the foreseeable future, especially if he continued to win trainer battles. If it weren't for the fact that Kyra and Princess had gotten hurt, he would have said that money like this would have made his ordeal in the museum worth it. Seth transferred over the money to his main account, and then logged off the computer and went to eat his meal.
It wasn't long before he received a call from Hester, who wanted to check in with him and thank him as well. At this point, Seth recalled a certain question that had been on his mind ever since he'd left the museum. He decided to bring it to Hester's attention.
"Hester, can I ask you a question?" Seth began.
"Sure, what is it?"
"Who is Team Magma? After Archie showed up, the first thing he asked is if I were part of them." Seth asked, though he had a feeling he wouldn't like the answer. Hester was silent for a few seconds, a sigh sounding from the other side.
"Team Magma are a group of activists that claim to stand for the earth, humanity, and the coexistence of the two. They're a lot like Team Aqua, except their ideals stand in stark contrast to them," Hester explained. "Team Aqua wants to halt human expansion for the sake of the ocean, but Team Magma wants to further it. So the two consider one another enemies."
"This just gets more complicated the more I hear about it. Now there's the equivalent of a gang war in Hoenn?" Seth lamented. "Are they as bad as Team Aqua?"
"Pretty much. It can get pretty violent whenever the two teams meet," Hester returned. "I'd suggest staying out of it. Your part in this is done, so feel free to relax and return to your journey."
"You don't need to tell me twice."
When the time neared midnight, the nurse returned Seth's pokémon to him, stating that they were as well as could be, but would likely need time to rest before battling again. Seth hardly registered her words, however, as the first thing he did was release Kyra from her ball.
Kyra hummed and looked around until she saw Seth, and he could feel her happiness swell as their eyes met. Seth couldn't help himself; he ducked down and scooped her up in his arms, lifting her clear off the ground into a loving embrace. Kyra cooed and wrapped her arms around his neck, nestling her head against his chest.
"I'm so glad you're alright," Seth whispered to her, not caring how the nurse was watching them with a happy smile. Kyra used her fingers to lift herself up just long enough to give Seth a brief kiss, giggling at the embarrassed blush that crossed his face due to the presence of onlookers. "Seriously, I put you and Princess through hell, in something that wasn't even really our fight."
Kyra frowned at his words. Seth felt a mixture of emotions in her, from understanding, reassurance, discontent, to mild excitement. He couldn't tell what she was trying to say to him from such a mix, other than that he shouldn't worry.
"Of course I'm going to worry," Seth chided her as he walked back towards the entrance of the PokéCenter. It was dark and he was tired after the mess that was today, so he wanted to return to the hotel and get some sleep. "You're my partner, Kyra. I can't imagine going on this journey without you."
Kyra hummed, a feeling of contentment flowing from her side of the link.
Seth was exhausted by the time he returned to his hotel. The first thing he did was release Princess into the room and lavish her with thanks for her performance in the battle with Team Aqua. Then, he stripped himself down and took a long shower, sitting down in the tub to give his legs a rest.
Kyra came to join him, so once Seth was clean, he plugged up the drain and allowed the water to fill up the tub so that she and him could soak together. Kyra climbed atop him and rested against his chest, her wet hair clinging to his skin.
"What a day." Seth sighed and sunk deeper into the warm water with her, making sure to keep her head above water. He reflected over the day's events: surfing with Brawly, to facing off against a team of criminals. He gave a little chuckle as he thought of something. "Heh, I can never tell my mom."
The door to the bathroom opened, and Princess slithered in. She coiled up alongside them by the side of the tub, so she could rest her head on its side. Seth smiled at her presence, and he stroked her head idly as he soaked.
"I'm worried about Archie. I don't want to run into him again." Seth spoke his thoughts aloud, as he usually did when he was alone with his pokémon. "A bunch of zealots who want to save the ocean, regardless of the cost. And then there's Team Magma, who are trying to do the exact opposite. Seriously, I can't tell if they're better or worse than what Team Rocket was; at least Team Rocket didn't try to paint themselves as being more than criminals."
"This is just a mess." Seth sighed heavily, and continued to stroke his pokémon. "I'm with Hester. Tomorrow, we're putting all this behind us, and focusing entirely on having fun. We'll visit the markets, chill at the beach, and see what else there is to do the city. How's that sound?"
The hums of his pokémon was his answer.
Author's Note:Hey all, I'm back with another chapter, though it's not nearly as long as the last. The length the chapter is basically determined by the length of my blurb for that particular experience, if that makes any sense.
Few points I wanted to touch on! First, sorry for the lack of sex in this chapter: In the wake of the battle with Team Aqua, the blurb entry ended, and it wouldn't really make sense to shove sex in there when he was utterly exhausted on a mental and physical level! But I think next chapter will make up for it. (beach time!)
Second, I actually had a lot of fun with Team Aqua in this chapter. Particularly, Archie. The hardest part of this story is gonna be making the motivations of the different teams make sense...or at least I thought it was. Archie's motivation came pretty easily to me.
Thirdly, and I'm sorry in advance, but I won't stand for any intolerance being thrown at me. I've gotten a few nasty messages about my decision to include gay content, and as much as I hate to be rude, I won't have it. If you can't tolerate and skip the gay content like my other more reasonable readers, leave my story and don't come back, if you please.
Lastly, I've had a few people ask me for my gender. Fyi, I identify as a g-rated Gardevoir! (Help, the show censored my privates! I don't know what I am!)
As always, please leave me a review, if you wouldn't mind! I do enjoy the feedback!