Chapter 18
Samantha happily lead the way down the road which would eventually bring her and her friends to Fuchsia City. She was happy to have a new Pokémon, and happy to be heading towards the Gym which will ultimately lead to her 4th Pokémon League badge.
Tony was having a nice conversation with Samantha, while Kat strayed not too far behind carrying her newest Pokémon.
"Ha Ha! A booga…wooga!" Kat made baby noises.
"Oopa? Oopa!" Wooper giggled.
Tony looked to Samantha. Samantha held back a grin, "I think she likes it…"
"What makes you say that?" Tony asked with a hint of jealously.
Julie and Blaze walked down the road alongside each other. Julie was holding the significantly less illuminated Light Ball in her paws. She held the orb gingerly, and proudly. Each time Blaze would try to sniff at it, Julie would swat him in the face with her tail. Bobby was fascinated by his surroundings. The road from Lavender to Fuchsia was exclusively a coastal road. He buried deep beneath his Pokémon instincts, the memories of the angry sea. The months, and months he spent adrift at sea. How he had actually learned to use WATER GUN…all of those memories…locked up within himself…
There were many, many trainers along the pretty coastal road. Kat and Tony took care of all of them. Samantha decided not to battle…her Pokémon deserved a vacation. She was proud that every challenge she rejected, was promptly taken up by Kat—who made short work of them.
After Kat used her Dodrio to land an impressive victory over another trainer's Clefable, Samantha looked around to find Bobby nowhere in sight. She looked around franticly, and finally spotted Bobby sitting on the beach…staring into the setting sun. He just sat there…not moving one inch…
"Hey Sammie!" Kat shouted.
"What's up Kitty-Kat?"
"Tony and I are gonna go check that tall grass over there for some Wild Pokémon…wanna hunt with us?"
"No…you guys go ahead! But no fooling around, and try to make it quick! I want to make it to Fuchsia before it gets dark!"
"OK Sam!" Kat smiled letting Tony take her hand. They walked off together towards the tall grass.
Samantha walked over to the beach, coming up behind Bobby. Bobby never moved from his spot—just stared at the waves crashing against the white-sand shore.
"So what's on your mind?" Samantha said placing her hand on the back of Bobby's bulb.
"Bulba!" Bobby sprang up surprised.
Samantha smiled and took a seat behind him. She picked him up, and put him on her lap.
"So what were you thinking, Bobby?"
Bobby was surprised that Samantha was actually trying to converse with him. He knew she could not understand him, but he understood her. All Pokémon could understand the "human" language…they just couldn't speak it themselves.
"Bulba, Bulbasaur…" Bobby answered sadly.
"Really? That's interesting…" Samantha said winking. "You know what, Bobby? I was thinking about the day we met…"
"Bulba?"
"Yea! Remember how you kicked that Tentacool's butt, and saved me? That was really sweet of you…I was always wondering if I hadn't stepped into the water in the first place, would I have still found you? That's just fate I guess…"
"Bulba! Saur, Bulbasaur!"
"Where you exactly came from is constantly on my mind—but I'm guessing since there's no other body of land before Pallet but one, I think you came from Cinnabar Island."
"Bulba!" Bobby nodded. If she only knew…
"Ah—so I am right about that…But figuring out how you know WATER GUN is a puzzle in itself…would you do a WATER GUN attack for me right now Bobby?"
"Bulbasaur!"
Bobby pressed his lips together and fired a powerful spurt of water, accurately hitting a discarded soda can across the way.
"That's great that you can do that. Not many Pokémon of the Water-type interest me. Maybe that Professor Maple fellow could help me understand…"
"Bulba…"
Bobby softly told himself, "yeah right". The only way anyone would ever find that out was to actually speak to him—one on one…actual conversation.
"Well, I think it's great to 'talk' to you every now and then, Bobby. I wanted to tell you something. You really shouldn't act so stone cold. You'll do great in battles if you learn to loosen up a little."
Bobby bowed his head at that statement. She was right. He had been a little aggressive lately. Winning seems his only option…
"It doesn't matter if you win or lose, Bobby. We'll always be best friends! I'll always love you…no matter what!"
Bobby was touched. He loved her back, and always would too…
"Bulbasaur!" (Back at you, Samantha)
Bobby nuzzled into Samantha's lap affectionately. All of sudden something hopped up onto Samantha's right shoulder…
"Pikachu!" Julie said.
"Hey there little missy. Did you want to talk to me?"
"Pi? Pikachu!"
"Yeah? Well I wanted to talk to you…so you like to battle, eh?"
"Pika! Pikachu!" Julie said definitely.
"Well I think you ought to cool your jets a little. You've been WAY too aggressive."
Julie tilted her head to one side in a confused manner. Wasn't winning what you got into battles for in the first place?
"Being aggressive is good…only when your opponent is. You should know when enough is enough…"
Julie looked at Samantha with a reassuring smile.
"Caaaaa…" Julie squealed as Samantha hugged her.
A warm, gentle off-shore breeze hit Samantha in the face rustling her long hair.
She reached into her satchel and removed 3 additional Poké Balls.
"Come on out everyone!"
"Wiggly?"
"Cubone!"
"Drea—Misdreavus!"
Samantha inspected her "Team"…
BOBBY: A Grass-Type, that doubles up as a Water-type…
JULIE: A Pikachu with great Electric and Fighting skills…
LIANNE: Can take some hits. Nice ICE moves too…for a Wigglytuff…
CUBONE: A powerful little baby…learning to master his ground attacks…
JOELLE: Her new Misdreavus…a Ghost-type is always good to have!
"Well…how could I lose with such a great team? You know something you guys? We're unbeatable! As long as we stay together, nobody will take us down! We have one thing many teams lack—unity!"
It was a sappy speech, but the Pokémon loved it! Lianne and Cubone hugged Samantha tightly.
Joelle was pleased, but she could only express it with a cold kiss…it's hard for a Ghost to hug someone solid!
Having delivered such an inspirational speech, Samantha decided she had better go find Tony and Kat. She looked down to Bobby…
"I bet they're kissing…not catching!"
"Bulba!" Bobby laughed.
Samantha's laughter quickly turned to concern at the sight that came before her eyes…
Kat and Tony…face down in the grass…
