Psshough. A white light escapes from the confines of its spherical prison. Psshough. Another joins it a few feet to the left. The glimmering spots form into two distinct shapes, both marine in origin before their sheen gives way to distinct color patterns.
"WOW! She looks super cool! I'm still surprised someone could even find a Magikarp fossil, let alone revive one!" The praise comes bitter-sweet to the fish owner as he looks over his friend's superior cephalopod. But, after the extensive teasing Evan had endured the last week at Trainer School, the positive outlook is still welcome.
"So have you named her yet? I was thinking about Calamari for my boy. He loves horror films for some reason. Well, he seems to like all TV, but he especially likes horror." The generally shy child beams at the Omanyte, emboldened by the knowledge that only a friend and two Pokémon are watching.
The newly dubbed Calamari catches the mood and makes grabby tentacles at his new Trainer. Giggling, Skyler reaches down and scoops up the cuddle monster, unfazed by the rubbery appendages flexing on the colonized arm in joy.
Evan's lips also start to pull up at the edges at the display, but then the lovey pair walk a few steps closer. A grimace kills the smile as a pungent fish odor assaults the kid's nose from the sea creature's proximity.
The blonde turns away, breathing shallowly. Eyes wander to his own Pokémon, only to find a longing gaze directed at the nearby duo. Sighing, the reparating child mentally braces for the sensation of rough scales on skin and leans over. It would mean withstanding another pervasive scent, but at least it didn't hold a candle to the odor of Calamari. The thought buoys the boy's mood while glancing at the enraptured twosome, happy for the first time at not finding a Helix fossil.
Comically large lips pop open in a surprised gape, before snapping back closed in a blinding grin as the little carp is also hefted into the air. Eugene may have left back to Oreburgh, but the man's reproach stayed, haunting the child's thoughts and actions.
Magikarp in hand, Evan treds across pebbled rocks up to the reason for this friendly get-together. The lanky lad gazes out across the slightly choppy waters of Viridian city's 'lake' as a bit of wind tugs at sun-kissed locks. Really, it feels like an extra large pond to the boy, but the locals are too proud of their little swimming space to quibble semantics.
Grasping arms slip a bit as the surprisingly air-breath-capable aquatic starts wiggling in excitement. Sensing a chance, the creature bunches powerful muscles. Careful to avoid inflicting a painful tail-slap, the fish springboards off the Trainer and into the shallows.
Shaking his head in amusement, Evan backs up from the beach's edge. Unnerved hands fling once in a downward motion to remove the scaly sensation.
Skyler strides up to the lake, settling on Evan's left.
Two grabby-grabby appendages stretch out once again, this time toward the shore. The rest of the flexible limbs still massage lovingly on one of the bookworm's arms.
The dig's 'luckiest' recipient crouches down, barely avoiding tiny waves breaking on miniature rocks. Reaching up, the boy gestures with an unrestrained hand. The little mollusk transfers to the proffered perch, leaving sucker marks of love on the freed limb. The new roost lowers to the ground, and the nautilus hops off, tentacles waving animatedly in its efforts to drag into the surf.
Upon reaching a deep enough point and with the help of a slightly larger wave, the Omanyte promptly turns around. Curious, Skyler leans forwards just in time to get a jet of water to the face as the Pokémon propels itself farther in. Evan is startled into laughter, glad to avoid the recurring theme surrounding these revived water types.
"I didn't know he could do that! Did you?" the carp owner questions, holding his knees while leaning forward. No new details spring from the murk where the shelled creature disappeared, despite the new angle.
Sputtering, the soddenly surprised boy answers, "N-No! I had no idea! That's so cool!" Skyler exclaims, titillated even with wet hair plastering his face. "So far I've only been able to have Calamari in the bathtub at home. There wasn't really anywhere for me to take him where he'd have enough water to move."
"I wonder what else he can do?" Evan ponders, sinking further into the curious lean. "I think my girl can only use Splash. She seems to be decent at swimming though. I've heard of Magikarp not even being able to swim before." The tone turns to bitter disbelief at the end, the speaker temporarily reminded of the species' reputation. The thought branches, forked by a Magikarp's harmless nature.
"I'm honestly a bit surprised your parents let you revive Calamari. Weren't they worried he might be destructive in the house?" Tipping back from the squat, Evan's behind plops onto the bumpy ground to wait. Hand reaching out, the boy stacks small rocks idly.
"They were fine with it. The DNA results said he was really young and had a Lonely nature when he….died." The two humans plunge into silent melancholy. "They actually encouraged me to. My mom said Arceus was just preserving him, waiting for me to give him the life he deserved." At this they look down, a weight heavy in the air.
A Splash is heard nearby, and their gazes fix out at the water. Two drastically different aquatics glow with glee, slinging water in mock battle. With a mighty swipe of tail, the Omanyte is swamped under, buried beneath an attacking wave.
The mood lifts amidst such unbridled, lighthearted play and a complicated expression softens Evan's face.
She may not be the prize fighter I want, but I never want her to regret being reborn.
Chapter Notes:
-Cephalopods are a type of mollusk, they can be squid, octopus, cuttlefish, or nautilus. In Greek it means "head-foot". Gastropods, which are closely related, are things like snails and slugs. Their name meaning "stomach-foot". lol
-Calamari is morbid because it is a squid dish. Often deep fried, but can also be cured. It'd be like naming your pet pig "Pork-Chop".
-People don't think about the sensations besides sight that come with owning Pokémon. Water-types are bound to have a stinky fish smell.
-There is a large pond in Vermilion City.
-Nautilus propel themselves with water using jet propulsion, rather than normal swimming. They suck water into their mantle (head), then basically squeeze it out quickly through a tunnel that ends near their tentacles.
-Fossils, implying the creature was once living, but died.
-Arceus, the god of Pokémon.
-So, this part about Calamari and Skyler makes me think of Futurama. The Seymour episode. "If it takes a thousand summers, I will wait for you." I wasn't thinking it when I wrote it. But now I can't unsee it. Oh hey, a chapter title. XD