Wildfire: Chapter 26
"Can you smell the sea air" Simon smiled as he breathed in deeply
None of the Pokemon needed to breathe deeply since their noses where far more sensitive than Simon's but nevertheless they mimicked his action
Nuri jumped, her fir bristling as a Wingull swooped low with a loud screech.
"Don't worry" Simon tried not to laugh "It's not after you, just watch"
Nuri shot annoyed looks at Phoenix and Ember who where both giggling softly and an appreciative look at Simon for not laughing too before turning her attention back to the Wingull, which plucked a Wurmple off a branch of a nearby tree before climbing back into the sky.
Simon glanced up at the sun, "It's almost lunch time" he declared happily as they walked "Do you guys want to continue into Sandgem then have lunch or stop for a picnic here"
"Eev eev veeeee veee ve?" Nuri asked
"You want to panic on the what?" Simon asked confused
"Veee eev vee veee ve" Nuri replied laughing and shaking her head
"Oh!" Simon laughed and shook his head "Picnic, but where did you say?"
"Vuuul piix vuul" Ember said exasperated
Simon nodded and watched as she quickly and crudely wrote a word in the dirt of the road, "Beech? No that can't be it" he muttered "Ah! Beach!" he said happily
Ember, Nuri and Phoenix all nodded "Eev?" Nuri asked her head tilted as she did her best puppy dog eyes
Simon groaned, he hated it when Ember did that since he always caved and apparently Nuri's look was no less effective "We'll see what the others have to say" he replied "I like the idea though" Simon and Nuri turned to Ember and Phoenix, Ember nodded her approval but Phoenix shook her head
"Quiil avaaa quiil ava avaa!" she explained when Nuri and Ember refused to relent their questioning stares
"True" Simon agreed, he hadn't really understood the start of her complaint but there is only so much on a beach that gets everywhere "But still it's fun and I'll wash the sand out afterwards if you want" he leant down and patted Phoenix's head affectionately "That is, if Ember doesn't drown me for trying" he joked as he stood back up
"Vuul piix vuul pix" Ember said thoughtfully
"Sure you will" Simon laughed as he started walking again "So beach picnic it is?"
"Vul"
"Quil"
"Eev"
"Good, alright we should be there in…" he pulled the map out of its case and quickly checked it before returning it "about an hour or two"
He laughed as Ember and Phoenix groaned "Hey you agreed to this"
"Quiil ava quiiil" Phoenix grumbled quietly
"Eeev vee" Nuri replied
"Quiil ava"
"Eeev vee"
"Quiil ava"
"Eeev vee"
"Quiil ava"
"Alright, cut it out" Simon said laughing at their childish argument
"Eeev vee" Nuri muttered sticking her tongue out at Phoenix
Phoenix growled softly but didn't respond to Nuri's childish taunt
Simon laughed shaking his head "Can you guys keep an eye out for any berries growing near the path since I doubt you'll find much on the beach"
By the time they had reached the edge of town Simon was carrying an armful of assorted berries "Tell you what" he suggested "You grab my pot and we'll fill it with water and stew these berries for a mystery stew" he laughed "How does that sound?"
"Quiiiil ava qui?" Phoenix groaned obviously not having a good day
"Yes more stew" Simon laughed "It's easy and quick to make so we have it a lot" he thought about it for a second "and anyway it is technically a soup."
Phoenix rolled her eyes but didn't say anything
They quickly cut through town and make their way to the beach earning quite a few stares from the townsfolk in the process.
"Hmm no firewood" Simon said dropping the last few berries into the pot
Ember groaned knowing exactly what that meant "Vuuul piix vuul" she complained
"I know it's boring" Simon apologized "But if you want to eat then you better get started" he said light-heartedly
Ember mumbled a few rude comments as she positioned herself near the pot, settling down she shot a stream of fire at the pot to heat it up
"Thanks" Simon said "It should only take a few minutes with this heat"
A small crowd gathered to watch the strange spectacle, Simon was sitting close the Ember with Nuri and Phoenix sitting on either side of him watching Ember work with a mix of jealousy and humour
"Quiil ava avaa quil avaaaa" Phoenix joked
Ember stopped her continual flame and spat a few embers at Phoenix before returning to her task.
Simon laughed, "Better be careful Phoenix last time I got Ember she set me on fire"
A few people watching backed off carefully at this while others gasped at the casual way he had spoken
"Eeev veee veee eev?" Nuri gasped through her laughing
"Nah" Simon shook his head smiling "It took me forever to regrow my hair though"
"Vuuul piix vul" Ember mumbled around her attack
"I so didn't!" Simon shouted at her "I said you were getting pudgy, that doesn't warrant burning my hair off!"
"Quiil ava quillll" Phoenix commented through her own giggles
The crowd had grown whilst Simon was having a heated talk with his Pokemon and quite a few mutters ran through the crowd about how he was doing it
Ember nodded and stopped her attack and trotted over to Simon blowing a tiny flame in front of his face. Simon didn't so much as twitch, he had total faith in Ember "Your not going to get me like that" he smiled stroking her a few times "Thanks for cooking" he jumped up "Now let's eat!"
He pulled some plastic bowls from his pack and ladled the stew into them, making sure that Ember's portion was bigger than everyone else's. Walking back with the first two bowls he noticed the crowd, which now numbered about thirty people "Hi" he smiled giving a small wave "You waiting for something?"
He continued forward and placed the bowls in front of Nuri and Phoenix who were both eyeing the crowd nervously "Don't worry" he whispered as he placed their food down "You'll be fine"
"Sir?" a small boy had gathered the courage to speak out
"Yes" Simon said standing up and heading back to the pot for his and Ember's portions as though the crowd wasn't there
"Were you talking to your Pokemon?" the boy spoke out again, still hidden amongst the press of people all waiting for Simon's answer
"Yes" Simon said as though it was nothing, whispers and mutters ran through the crowd at his response, he handed Ember her portion and settled himself down on the sand in the middle of the Pokemon "So much for a quiet picnic" he joked
"Vuuul piix vul piix?" Ember suggested mischievously
Simon laughed "No, I don't think they would take kindly to a flamethrower"
"Vuuul piix vul!" Ember responded
Simon laughed "I didn't mean it like that and you know it" he tapped her on the nose and shovelled a portion of the soup into his mouth "Hmm not bad"
"But how?" an elderly gentleman stepped forward, he had grey hair, a thick moustache and was wearing a brown trench coat over a shirt and tie
"Hi professor" Simon said looking up "Come over here" he gestured for the man to come forward
The gentleman stepped out of the crowd and made his way over to where Simon and his Pokemon were sitting, eating their lunch.
"Ember, Phoenix, Nuri meet Professor Rowan" Simon smiled warmly as he shovelled the last of his stew into his mouth
Professor Rowan sat down on the sand opposite Simon "You said you talk to your Pokemon like it was nothing" he said
"And?" Simon replied simply, glancing around he noticed everyone had finished lunch and the crowd was beginning to disperse since this was becoming a private conversation "That was pretty good" he smiled "We need to do that again"
"Quiiil avaaa quiiil quiil" Phoenix joked
Simon laughed and Nuri giggled but Ember rolled her eyes "Look it's not stew, it's soup!" Simon shot back "I thought we went over this!"
"Quiil ava" Phoenix replied rolling her eyes
"Soup!" Simon replied
"ava!"
Professor Rowan coughed to draw attention "See you're talking to them again, how are you doing it?"
"I learnt" Simon explained "It's not that hard"
Professor Rowan sighed "Yes it is" he shook his head "I've been trying to build a translator for at least ten years but it doesn't work, no matter what I try the language of Pokemon is just too complex"
Simon shook his head "I learnt to speak to Ember in" he paused "What was it again? Five or six months?"
"Vuul piiix vuuul vuul" Ember replied
Simon tapped Ember's nose again "I know, I know, but when could I hold my first conversation?"
"piix" Ember replied almost immediately
"Yeah, that sounds about right" Simon turned back to Professor Rowan "It took six months to learn the basics"
"Quiil avaa quiil" Phoenix teased
"Fine!" Simon amended "Some of the basics, I just learnt the stuff I needed to say alright, it's not my fault things like the sea never came up!"
"Can you come back to my lab for a while.."
"Simon." Simon supplied "My name is Simon, and I would be happy too" he smiled "I was going to visit you after lunch anyway, just let me clean up and we'll meet you there"
Professor Rowan nodded "Ok see you in a bit" he stood up and brushed himself off before wandering off the beach, back into town.