Chapter 11 - Regina

(WRITER'S NOTE: It has come to my attention that switching perspectives multiple times per chapter may be disorienting for readers. From now on, I will devote each chapter to specific characters. As for another bit of criticism I heard (i.e. "Not enough Steven"), I think that committing entire chapters to different characters will allow me to further flesh out Steven's story and give him more time to shine. Hopefully this new format suits everyone. I hope you guys are enjoying the ride!

Five years earlier.

An older woman, short but taut with muscle, stared out into the open ocean. The horizon; a pastel of colors swirled with the light brush strokes of the wispy clouds. Wingull cawed as they flew overhead. She looked up at them, squinting against the rising sun. Her back ached, and she stretched for a moment before returning to stillness. Her pokemon Hariyama stood a few feet behind her, palms pressed together in defiance of the sea winds, like a small child in refusal.

To Regina's relief, her old bones could still appreciate the frigid dawn winds of the beach. Maybe it was purely genetic. Maybe living with the famed 'Dewford Draft' all her life made her immune to the breeze, no matter its ferocity. The village was small, but everyone was tough. Nobody went down easy.

Especially not little Brawly. Even as a tyke he'd been a fighter. Without a father, Brawly took it upon himself to grow into the man of the house. It was goofy seeing the twelve year old rascal march around town, with a bunch of six-year olds in tow, barking orders left and right. Regina figured that that was an occupational hazard of being born to a notoriously stubborn gym leader.

She was lost in her thoughts.

Hariyama tapped her on the shoulder delicately, with a comically gigantic hand. "Hari!"

"Hrm?"

"Hari!" Hariyama gestured towards the orange-grey horizon.

Two cutters were sailing into the beach. Two flags bearing the symbol of Kyogre displayed proudly, waving in the wind. It was unmistakably Team Ocean.

"Oh dear…" She shook her head, and looked over at Hariyama. "You're gonna have to fight for me, you know."

Hariyama's muscles appeared to tense. "Hari!"

Regina nodded with a stiff expression.

The two boats anchored several meters away from shore.

"Can I help you?" Regina called out.

"Ohhhhhhhh, Reginaaaa!" A familiar voice said. "It is I!" The man himself stepped out onto the bow, and struck a performative pose, arm outstretched. Flaunting his muscles and his swarthy chest, it could be nobody else but Archer. The one and only.

"Can you move your canoe? It's blocking my view of the sunrise," Regina said dryly.

Archer made an exaggeratedly flabbergasted face. "Regina! Please! I came to Dewford just for YOU. Please, show some hospitality."

Regina sighed. "It was such a beautiful sunrise too."

"Now, now. There'll be many sunrises to come. But how often do old friends reunite? Hmm?"

"Not rarely enough."

Archer's eyebrow twitched. "You're stubborn, aren't you? Why don't you witness my TRUE-"

"Hey, boss," some grunt interrupted. "Can you come down here for a sec? Our fishing line got all tangled up."

Archer clenched a fist and seethed.

"Uhhh. Never mind. We figured it out. Thanks, boss!"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Get out of here before I put a hole in your boat."

Archer smiled. "I just wanna take a few things. Why don't you let me have a look around town?"

"That's not happening."

"Very well, then." Archer nodded. "SHARPEDO! ANNIHILATE HER!" He threw a pokeball, Sharpedo landing in the water. Regina bit down on her lip, refusing to show any fear. Archer's Sharpedo was well-known to any seafaring village. He would often deploy it in their beaches, scaring them with its intimidating dorsal fin.

"Sharpedo, use Liquidation!" Archie yelled. Sharpedo's dorsal fin was enveloped in blue water energy, and it charged straight into Hariyama, with blazing speed.

Reacting quickly, Regina ordered, "Hariyama-use an Arm Thrust to block."

"Hari-YAMA!" the pokemon cried as she slammed both of her palms into Sharpedo's dorsal fin. Sharpedo was immobilized. But only temporarily.

Regina had to take advantage of that. "Hariyama-" she started, but suddenly her pokemon recoiled away from Sharpedo. Hariyama looked like she'd touched a hot iron or something. Then Regina remembered.

Rough Skin.

Sharpedo's ability.

She gulped. There was no way she could touch Sharpedo without getting hurt. Hariyama wasn't suited for ranged attack.

"Regina, how could you forget?" Archer said, smirking.

"I have no choice. Fighting types are built for close combat."

"Then you might as well just quit right here. It's only going to get worse from here, darling."

For the first time since seeing the scumbag before her, Regina scowled.

"Sharpedo! Aqua Jet!"

Sharpedo's entire body swirled with water and energy. It fired itself with even greater speed than before. This time, Hariyama was unable to block it. Sharpedo nailed Hariyama right in the torso, slamming her back ten feet.

"Hang in there, Hariyama. Wait for its next attack." Regina knew that going on the offense was a bad idea. She had to bait Sharpedo into land, where its water power would be reduced, by at least a little.

Archer groaned to himself. This was going to be just another fun little raid with some of his grunts. But no, of course, Regina had to ruin their good time.

"Sharpedo, use Aqua Jet again!"

Sharpedo growled and rushed towards Hariyama. But Regina had an idea.

"Hariyama, use Close Combat, and aim for the gills!"

As Sharpedo connected, Hariyama clapped her huge palms down Sharpedo's gills.

SMACK.

The sound almost echoed down the beach. Regina smiled for the first time in the morning. It was a critical hit.

Sharpedo yelped and retreated. Archer growled. "We're not done yet. Sharpedo, LIQUIDATION!"

Sharpedo's dorsal fin glowed bright blue, but this time, its teeth were luminated as well. Maybe it was on its last reserves of energy. This was Sharpedo's trump card. And Regina wasn't going to allow it to be played.

"HARIYAMA! VITAL THROW!"

Hariyama and Sharpedo smashed into each other. Hariyama grabbed the fish by its jaws-and flung it at the boat with full force.

Sharpedo's scaly body tore through the hull.

Hariyama panted, slowly.

"I'll say it one more time, Archer," Regina said, with cold ferocity. "Leave my town."

Archer grimaced. Sweat pooled in his wetsuit. "Return, Sharpedo…"

Regina raised an eyebrow.

"... We're taking the other boat."