Author's Note: …I just realized that I can use my school laptop to update this. (smacks self)
Anyway, what is going to go here I would normally use the PM system for, but it's actually very important, so… Yeah. Lynnie will lose occasionally because I realize that it's stupid to read about a character that wins all the time. Plus if she never lost she would have no challenges and it would just get boring. In fact, I was actually planning on having a loss or two here soon.
Phew, now that that text block is out of the way, the only comment I have on this chapter is that Brendan finally gets to come back for a few minutes (yay!). And it's short because it really just works better this way. I'd like to make it longer, but in this case, anything extra would just be superfluous.
Chapter Ten: Vs Wingull!
"Hey! Lynnie!"
Lynnie crossed her eyes as she walked out of the Pokémon Center the next morning. After leaving Devon, she'd gone on and checked herself in out of tiredness.
And now Brendan jogged up to her from the southern gate of Rustboro, resting his hand on a lamppost as he stopped to catch his breath. He then grinned at her.
"Um, hi?" she answered.
"Dad's been sending me farther out lately to do some fieldwork," Brendan explained. "We've been using a Wingull I caught to carry messages back and forth."
"A Wingull?" Lynnie repeated. "I found one a while ago, and—"
"Oh?" Brendan raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know they made nests around here."
"I don't think they do…" Lynnie crossed her arms. "It's someone else's, I think."
"Really," Brendan frowned. "Do you still have it on you?"
"Yeah, here," Lynnie answered.
Pulling the Pokéball out of her bag, Lynnie pressed the release button. The Wingull nervously looked up at her and Brendan from the pavement. It hadn't quite gotten used to Lynnie yet, but at least enough so that it didn't Water Gun her at every opportunity.
"Hey, its wings are green," Brendan commented. "I've never seen that before. Dad would be excited to see this."
"Are they not supposed to be?" Lynnie blinked.
"Um, no, Lynnie," Brendan laughed slightly. "Don't you know? Wingulls generally have blue stripes on their wings. I have heard of variations before, but… Oh hey, I just remembered something."
Lynnie twitched slightly and decided to ignore Brendan's laughter. Instead, she cleared her throat.
"Oh, what?" she forced.
"There's this old sailor guy, Briney," he commented. "He lives in a cabin out near Petalburg, and I've met him a few times while doing fieldwork. He said he had a Wingull with a variation in its wing pattern, but when I was out there the other day, he said he'd lost it."
"I didn't even steal a useful Pokémon on the way up here."
Wait a minute… Lynnie thought. Could it be…?
"Okay, great, I know where you go now!" she cried, picking up the Wingull.
"Wing!" it said awkwardly.
Lynnie grinned sheepishly as she recalled it. "Thanks, Brendan! Gotta go!"
"Wait, Lynnie, I was supposed to—" Brendan started, but the girl was already gone. Sighing, he rested his forehead in his palm. "Dang, that girl is hyper… I didn't even get to check up on her Pokedex for Dad."
- - -
After checking the map on her PokéNav, Lynnie had decided that the best way to get to Dewford and Slateport was to go south from Rustboro. This, of course, meant wandering around Petalburg Woods again for several hours, but hey, with any luck she'd be able to get a ride to Dewford off of this Briney guy anyway.
But Petalburg Woods meant bugs, and bugs meant that a few hours felt like a few days. Lynnie shuddered as she dodged several dozen Wurmples on her way through.
Sighing, she ducked under a tree branch and hoped she didn't take any more wrong turns…
- - -
"Wingull! Where—"
Lynnie scrambled after the small Pokémon as it frantically flew past her. After reaching the edge of the woods, she'd decided to release it, hoping that it would help her find its trainer's cabin. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea after all, though, as she was starting to lose sight of it…
Suddenly, she spotted it diving down next to a rather run-down hut situated nearly on Route 104's shoreline. An equally dilapidated dock and tiny boat were next to the cottage, and the door the Wingull was pecking at looked ready to fall over. Crossing her eyes, Lynnie scooped it up and knocked hastily. It was flung open, revealing a dingy inside, and Lynnie blinked as the Wingull promptly flew from her hands.
And then she was dragged into a rib-breaking, one-armed bear hug.
"Oh, Peeko, you're safe! I was so worried!"
Lynnie blinked into the sailor outfit. "Uh… what?"
The elderly man grinned sheepishly and released her as the Wingull happily perched on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, miss, but Peeko owes her life to you! Could you honor me with your name?"
Still confused slightly, she responded, "Um, Lynnie?"
"Ah!" He extended a hand, and Lynnie shook it awkwardly. "I'm Briney. Now, if there's anything I can ever do for you, don't hesitate to ask!"
"Well, actually!" Lynnie said quickly. "I noticed a boat outside, and I need a ride to Dewford pronto! I mean, if it's okay with you."
"Of course, but may I ask whatever for?" Briney questioned, raising a white eyebrow.
"You see…" Lynnie reached into her bag and pulled out the folded up envelope from Mr. Stone. "I'm supposed to be delivering this to someone in Dewford."
"All right then," Briney mused, folding his arms. "It's been a while, but I guess it's settled! We're setting sail!"
- - -
"You've been sitting there for nearly the whole trip, Lynnie. You don't get seasick, do you?"
Lynnie jumped when Briney addressed her from the boat's steering wheel. She'd been sitting at the edge of the boat, letting her feet dangle through the railing, for almost the entire voyage. The only time she'd gotten up was for lunch, and now it was late in the evening.
"Not yet," she replied. "I mean, I don't think so. Okay, actually what I mean is, I've just never seen the ocean before."
"What?"
Briney's hand slipped on the steering wheel, causing the boat to jerk and Lynnie's stomach to lurch. He regained himself as Peeko anxiously flew down next to him.
"Most places around here aren't all that far from water," he muttered.
"I'm not from around here," Lynnie answered matter-of-factly, watching a pale, sandy shoreline come into view.
"Oh. Well, we're almost to Dewford," he said quickly. "If you don't mind, I'm going to have to drop you off."
"Why?"
"It's actually been a few years since I've gotten the chance to sail like this," Briney admitted. "As such, I don't remember the waters around these parts very well."
"Okay…" Lynnie trailed off as the ship approached the shore. Briney lowered the anchor and ladder, and then turned back to her.
"All right, then, come on!" he called.
Lynnie sighed and crawled over the side of the boat. Loosely holding the railing, she stepped onto the ladder and started to climb down.
"Good luck with that delivery!" Briney added.
Lynnie jumped down onto the shore. Looking back up, she saw him waving at her.
"Thanks," she responded, watching him pull the anchor up. With a grin, Briney began to drift away, and he steered the boat back towards the north.
After watching the boat disappear, Lynnie finally realized how cold she was. Sleepily, she started searching for the Pokémon Center, eager for a nice nap…