Prompt #25: Sidney and Phoebe get caught in a thunderstorm.

Both Sidney and Absol wore the same scowl as the rain began to steadily increase. If Phoebe wasn't equally as soaking wet and miserable, she might have giggled at the way they both sulked as they helped load the last of the supplies onto the waiting ship.

A nasty storm was en route to Pacifidlog Town, and the two Elites had volunteered to aid in the evacuation of the floating settlement. It would surely weather the storm, but its occupants would be without power and food until the storm passed, and some of the more elderly residents might not be hardy enough to wait for the post-storm relief.

The storm wasn't supposed to pass through for another 24 hours, yet the wind had already picked up something fierce. "That's the last of 'em!" called Sidney, an arm raised to shield against the driving rain.

"Great!" Phoebe called back giving the ship's captain a thumbs up to signal he could push back from the dock. "Now let's get out of here too."

Dusclops had just released the last mooring of the ship when it froze in place, its red eye sliding over toward where Absol was standing, fur bristling with a low growl. Sidney already had noticed his partner's behavior and he cursed under his breath. Absol was sensing something, and it wasn't good. He turned to regard his fellow Elite with a nervous glance.

"Fee..."

Just as her name left his lips, the sky was split with a brilliant bolt of lightning, surprising even the steadfast Dusclops. Somehow, the storm had intensified in only a matter of moments, hours ahead of the forecast.

The floating walkways they both were standing on lurched as larger and larger waves began to roll through Pacifidlog. Phoebe strained to see her friend through the deteriorating conditions.

"Sid, we have to go now! The storm's too strong!"

She could see enough in the dusky light to make out him shaking his head.

"No good! Sharpedo can't carry us both in seas this rough. We'd never make it!"

For the first time in a long time, the icy grip of fear found its way through Phoebe's veins. "Then what do we do?" Her question just made it out before another flash of lightning and a crash of thunder cut her off.

Discomfort all but forgotten, Sidney regarded Absol's stern expression for a moment before nodding. "We have to get to the sturdiest building in town and ride it out!"

By now Phoebe had picked her way across the unsteady planks and reached Sidney's side. She might have been worried if it wasn't for the determined set of his jaw. If Sidney was convinced of the plan, then so was she.

"Okay."

"There," he pointed through the sheets of rain, "The PokeCenter is close enough to the center of the town that it should be protected from the worst of it."

Phoebe nodded as she swallowed the unease in her throat. Living on Mt. Pyre, she'd never had to deal with the ocean's rage from up close. If the seas around her home were ever this angry, she'd retreat to higher ground with her grandma and grandpa. In Pacifidlog, there was no such luxury.

Absol had already begun to bound toward the Pokemon Center, eager to get to sturdier ground, and Dusclops clomped after him.

"C'mon," said Sidney, and without thinking he reached back to grab Phoebe's hand to guide her along the floating walkways.

Phoebe was glad the wind was howling, so Sidney couldn't hear the small squeak she let out when his hand found her own. Quickly, the two trainers made their way through the growing storm. It wasn't much further to the PokeCenter...

Suddenly, Absol's ears shot upright, and he wheeled around in alarm to find his trainer's wide-eyed stare.

"Oh crap -"

Sidney barely had time to brace himself before the wave swept over the walkway he'd been standing on. The wood lurched beneath his feet, bucking him backward from the force, and Sidney definitely cursed as the cold, grey water reached up to greet him. A sharp tug on his arm jolted him from his single minded panic. Phoebe.

Dusclops was already on the move as his trainer was bowled over and into the churning sea. Its red eye was frantically searching the murky water for any sign of where she'd been tossed, but it came up empty. With a harried glance at Absol, Dusclops whispered a low question. But Absol's gaze on the waves didn't falter, and Dusclops had no choice but to wait.

Sidney's head broke the surface with a loud gasp, followed by a hand wielding a pokeball. Teeth grit in effort, he released Sharpedo and reached for its fin with the same arm. Absol's claws dug into the logs of the PokeCenter's platform, hackles raised until it caught sight of a splash of pink against Sidney's chest.

Arm wrapped protectively around Phoebe's thin frame, Sidney struggled to keep his head above the waves as Sharpedo hauled the two of them to the platform's edge. He told himself he'd never let go, no matter what.

Finally within arm's reach, Sidney called out, but Dusclops was already reaching down to pluck Phoebe out of the water. Shivering, she clung to her pokemon and watched helplessly as Sidney tried to reach for the platform himself, but was dunked under again by another wave. Sharpedo dipped beneath the surface and bobbed up beneath his trainer, getting him within reach of the platform once again. With one final push he dragged himself out of the water and lay panting for a moment on the deck. Blinking saltwater from his eyes, he was met with a soggy hug from Absol.

"Heh, I could use a little more notice next time," he managed to chuckle, and Absol only headbutted him harder. His hand flopped over on the soaking wood to recall Sharpedo from the angry sea. He lay there for a moment longer, before propping himself up on one elbow just in time to see Phoebe staring at him, unblinking.

"Sidney..." She'd wiggled her way out of her pokemon's grasp, although it didn't stop Dusclops from hovering protectively behind her. "You..."

But Sidney was quickly on his feet and swiftly wrapped his arms around her to ward off the bone chilling cold. "It's what anyone would have done."

Phoebe let him guide her inside the Pokemon Center and out of the rain, their pokemon following behind.

It wasn't until the doors slid shut behind them, reducing the storm's blustering to background noise, that she finally pushed back against his chest to look him in the face once more.

"You're not just anyone." She couldn't bring herself to finish the thought, conjured up by the panicked flash of their own mortality. 'To me.'

Sidney stared hard at her before pulling her into a tight hug, dipping his head so his chin rested against her shoulder. His voice was tight, probably for the same reason she couldn't choke out her own words. "Neither are you."