Chapter 10
It was late morning in Lilycove City. The skies were clear, the sea air was fresh, and the citizens were up and about, bustling through the streets and along the coast, the beach covered in tourists, sunbathing, swimming and relaxing in general and the entrance to the pokémon department store was already chock full of pokémon trainers eager to purchase the latest pokémon gear. Lucia and Setijin emerged from the hotel, with their rucksacks filled with items from the store, preparing for a long sea voyage. Setijin ripped open an envelope that he had just been handed by the hotel owner. He removed the letter from inside, and proceeded to read the message printed on paper with small cartoon Wingull's printed onto the background.
"It reads; 'Dear Setijin and Lucia. It's Winona here. I've got back to Fortree fine, and everyone is great! The pokéballs from the Weather Institute have been returned to their rightful trainers as well. It seems that man had already struck in Mauville as well. The Gym leader Wattson sends his thanks, and sent you this Technical Machine, which I have attached below. Sorry again for leaving you both like this, but I just know you'll make it to Mossdeep in one piece. Good luck, and see you again soon. Yours, Winona.'" Setijin read. He removed the small plastic packet stuck to the bottom of the letter, and placed it in a pouch on his belt, before folding up the paper, and sliding it into his pocket.
"I still don't know why she had to leave like that," Lucia sighed. Setijin shrugged as they descended the staircase slithering down the face of the cliffs, walking towards a secluded part of the beach.
"I'm sure she had her own reasons. She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would just desert someone with no justification for her actions," her replied. Lucia agreed as Setijin removed a pokéball from its belt holster and hurled it into the sea, Gyarados exploding from its chamber and lowering its head to allow Setijin and Lucia to climb onto and up his back.
"This should be fun," Lucia grinned.
"Yup. It's not too far from here to Mossdeep. It should only take us about an hour or two...the wind is blowing east too, so that should help us along as well," Setijin evaluated. "Are you ready to surf Gyarados?" It roared in confirmation as Setijin signaled forwards, and Gyarados took off away from the shore and Lilycove.
Gyarados sped through the calm seas with little effort, kicking up a large wave of spray behind him, Setijin and Lucia sat comfortably at the top of his neck, elevated high above the water. The suns reflection flickered in the ripples of the sea, as Wingull's hovered above high in the sky, and all manner of water pokémon swam below, occasionally leaping from the water for surveillance or show. Wailmer's hummed serenely, and the cores of Staryu laying just under the surface glittered beautifully under the watchful eye sky. "Staryu are so gorgeous," Lucia commented. "I wish I could catch one."
"Well why don't you? We can stop for a short while. It'll give Gyarados a chance to rest, and us a chance to relax," Setijin suggested. Lucia agreed, and Setijin patted the back of Gyarados' head, steadily bringing him to a halt, gently lowering its head to place the two riders closer to the sea. Lucia slid further down the back of Gyarados, removing her trainers, and started to dangle her feet in the cool, crystalline water. She released Gulpin from its ball, shuffling to the side to give it space to sit. It peered into the water as she pointed out the Staryu.
"You see those Gulpin?" she asked. It shuddered agreeably as she continued, "When one of them comes close to the surface of the water, you knock it out with a sludge bomb...is that ok?" It shuddered again, as they both sat in wait.
"I don't know why this keeps happening, but I bet it has something to do with those kids following me," the man whispered down the phone in the corner of the pokémon center. He was upstairs, the view from the window revealing the span of the ocean to him Lilycove city just visible on the horizon.
"Well no matter what it is, you'd better start shaping up. Sort out those kids, and keep a close eye on your pokémon boxes. All these pokémon you are claiming to have caught are no use to me unless you actually send them!" the gruff voice on the other end of the conversation bellowed, followed by a slam of the receiver. As the dialing tone reverberated, the man returned the phone to its booth, and shut down his pokémon boxes on the PC next to him. He then held up one of his pokéballs in front of his face, and begun whispering to it.
"You are causing one dilemma...on the one hand, you're a godsend, being able to dominate all these puny trainers and their useless pokémon, while on the other...you're like a homing beacon for those two...the brown haired kid and that Gym leader." He re- pocketed the pokéball, and made his way towards the escalator down, donning a jet-black baggy denim jacket, with a small, red capital 'R' printed onto the top right hand pocket. "Let's go and get some more pokémon," he chuckled to himself as he left the center, and stood proudly at the Center of Mossdeep Island.
Setijin lazed back on Gyarados' neck, his eyes closed, and arms forming a rest behind his head, while Lucia and Gulpin continued to try and fish down below. Both of their Eevee's had been let out and were currently bounding up and down Gyarados' tail.
"Surely we must be able to hit one Staryu sooner or later," Lucia sighed.
"You wouldn't have any pokémon with electric attacks would you?" Setijin suggested, his eyes still shut, and his tone of voice very apathetic and lazy.
"I have a Plusle and a Minun, but neither have any electrical skills," she replied.
"They still have a tiny amount of electrical discharge though, right? Well, all you have to do is get one in the water, and that will at least stun the Staryu enough to bring them closer to the surface..."
"That's not a bad idea." Lucia pulled out a pokéball, and released her Plusle, which she immediately picked up into her arms. She quickly explained what to do, and carefully lowered it into the water, continuing until the water reached its cheeks, and sure enough, some of the Staryu within the immediate vicinity quivering from the small static shock, before rising to the surface. Lucia quickly pulled Plusle back out of the water, and held it against her with one arm, using her free arm to prepare a spare pokéball.
"Here Staryu, Staryu, Staryu..." she cooed. Suddenly, one broke the surface and floated on its back, its red core buzzing with a light, effervescent glow. She dropped the pokéball onto it, and caught it on the bounce, as the Staryu was dragged inside, struggling violently. As the ball shook, Plusle squeezed its way out of Lucia's grip, and leapt through the air, onto the tip of Gyarados' tail. As it landed, tiny sparks of static shot from its body into Gyarados, causing it to whip its tail into the air, catapulting Plusle off ahead, a small 'plop' heard as it crashed into the water.
"That's gotta sting," Setijin joked as he flipped onto his front and peered off into the distance over Gyarados' head, Lucia clasping her pokéball as the resistance became less urgent, returning her Eevee and Gulpin back to the safety of their own pokéballs. Setijin did the same with his Eevee, before directing Gyarados forwards again, towards Plusle's point of impact.
"I really hope he's ok," Lucia worried. "It'd be an incredibly stupid way to go..."
"Don't worry, he's fine," Setijin comforted, pointing out to sea. "Look, he's holding onto that Staryu over there. Oh look, there's another one...and...ah." The two watched as one by one, more and more Staryu emerged from the water, and floated into the air, circling Plusle. Setijin urged Gyarados to move faster. Lucia climbed up the pokémons neck, past Setijin to get a better look at the situation.
"Oh no. That is certainly NOT good." As Gyarados got closer to the pack, she sat back, with her hands over her mouth, shivering with indecision. Before Setijin could air his views, she shook herself out of her anxiousness, and released her Minun, making sure not to let it make contact with Gyarados. "You ready Minun? Use the Staryu on the surface to your advantage," she called, hurling her into the crowd, landing next to Minun. The Staryu now numbered around 2-dozen, Plusle and Minun stood in the middle, back to back, using the floating Staryu as a makeshift platform.
"This should be quite interesting," Setijin mumbled to himself. Plusle and Minun started to buzz with electric energy. As the first Staryu closed in on them, a spark flew between it and the two mice, flinging it backwards. Minun, realizing the effect of their static proceeded to leap at one of the hovering star pokémon, before quick attacking three more in succession. Plusle remained in the center of the platform, clapping its partner on. With each successive hit, Minun's power and speed seemed to increase, with more and more Staryu flopping back into the water. As the Minun reached its crescendo, leaping high above the cluster of stars, its cheeks throbbed and unleashed a flurry of powerful sparks down at its enemies. As the sparks shot down, segments split off, connecting and paralyzing the Staryu. It landed comfortably on the lone star acting as a platform next to Plusle, and leapt back towards Gyarados as their support started to sink, Lucia recalling the pair back into their pokéballs.
"They make a great team," Setijin commented. Lucia patted the balls as she holstered all three of them, housing Plusle, Minun and her new Staryu to rest alongside Gulpin and Eevee. "Hey, look ahead! Mossdeep is getting close!"
"It looks so beautiful," Lucia admired, gazing at the island, surrounded with serene turquoise waters, with palm trees swaying blissfully in the ocean breeze, small houses lining the cliffs, and the humungous space center climbing up the sky in the background. Up on the cliffs, next to what appeared to be the pokémon center stood the silhouette of two figures, with an enormous, dragon shaped shadow sat next to them. Setijin squinted in an attempt to make out the image.
"I can't make out what that is, but whatever it is, it looks powerful!" Setijin analyzed. Lucia clambered up Gyarados to look as well.
"Well, I'm sure we'll find out once we beach. Get ready, the waters starting to get shallow. We're finally at Mossdeep Island!"
Setijin and Lucia waded through the soggy sand, repeatedly layered with fresh blankets of seawater sweeping across it. Setijin half turned to face Gyarados, and gave him a 'thumbs up'.
"That was great work Gyarados. Time for you to rest." He returned Gyarados, and placed the ball back into its slot on his belt.
"Its incredible how a pokémon as short tempered as a Gyarados listens to you so obediently within such a short space of time," Lucia said.
"I think it's more out of fear of Medicham," Setijin chuckled.
"Pardon?"
"Oh, never mind. The basic story is, Medicham one big time," he replied. Lucia smiled and subtly sped up, overtaking Setijin, reaching the flight of sandy stairs leading up to the main part of the island.
"Hi guys!" Winona called out to them. She stood waving, at the top of the stairs, accompanied by the league trainer, and his towering Dragonite, standing tall above all of them.
"Winona?" Setijin returned. Lucia ran forward and hugged her, as Setijin and the trainer paced up to each other and firmly shook hands.
"Setijin," he introduced.
"Arc," the trainer responded.
"Well," Winona began, "you've both proved you're up for the challenge. Lucia I already knew had pokémon handling skills, but we really wanted to test Setijin's potential."
"So that's why you left us...so, did I do alright by your standards?"
"You made it here, didn't you?" she replied chirpily. Setijin smiled back wearily. Arc stepped into the center of the group and began to share his story.
It was late morning in Lilycove City. The skies were clear, the sea air was fresh, and the citizens were up and about, bustling through the streets and along the coast, the beach covered in tourists, sunbathing, swimming and relaxing in general and the entrance to the pokémon department store was already chock full of pokémon trainers eager to purchase the latest pokémon gear. Lucia and Setijin emerged from the hotel, with their rucksacks filled with items from the store, preparing for a long sea voyage. Setijin ripped open an envelope that he had just been handed by the hotel owner. He removed the letter from inside, and proceeded to read the message printed on paper with small cartoon Wingull's printed onto the background.
"It reads; 'Dear Setijin and Lucia. It's Winona here. I've got back to Fortree fine, and everyone is great! The pokéballs from the Weather Institute have been returned to their rightful trainers as well. It seems that man had already struck in Mauville as well. The Gym leader Wattson sends his thanks, and sent you this Technical Machine, which I have attached below. Sorry again for leaving you both like this, but I just know you'll make it to Mossdeep in one piece. Good luck, and see you again soon. Yours, Winona.'" Setijin read. He removed the small plastic packet stuck to the bottom of the letter, and placed it in a pouch on his belt, before folding up the paper, and sliding it into his pocket.
"I still don't know why she had to leave like that," Lucia sighed. Setijin shrugged as they descended the staircase slithering down the face of the cliffs, walking towards a secluded part of the beach.
"I'm sure she had her own reasons. She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would just desert someone with no justification for her actions," her replied. Lucia agreed as Setijin removed a pokéball from its belt holster and hurled it into the sea, Gyarados exploding from its chamber and lowering its head to allow Setijin and Lucia to climb onto and up his back.
"This should be fun," Lucia grinned.
"Yup. It's not too far from here to Mossdeep. It should only take us about an hour or two...the wind is blowing east too, so that should help us along as well," Setijin evaluated. "Are you ready to surf Gyarados?" It roared in confirmation as Setijin signaled forwards, and Gyarados took off away from the shore and Lilycove.
Gyarados sped through the calm seas with little effort, kicking up a large wave of spray behind him, Setijin and Lucia sat comfortably at the top of his neck, elevated high above the water. The suns reflection flickered in the ripples of the sea, as Wingull's hovered above high in the sky, and all manner of water pokémon swam below, occasionally leaping from the water for surveillance or show. Wailmer's hummed serenely, and the cores of Staryu laying just under the surface glittered beautifully under the watchful eye sky. "Staryu are so gorgeous," Lucia commented. "I wish I could catch one."
"Well why don't you? We can stop for a short while. It'll give Gyarados a chance to rest, and us a chance to relax," Setijin suggested. Lucia agreed, and Setijin patted the back of Gyarados' head, steadily bringing him to a halt, gently lowering its head to place the two riders closer to the sea. Lucia slid further down the back of Gyarados, removing her trainers, and started to dangle her feet in the cool, crystalline water. She released Gulpin from its ball, shuffling to the side to give it space to sit. It peered into the water as she pointed out the Staryu.
"You see those Gulpin?" she asked. It shuddered agreeably as she continued, "When one of them comes close to the surface of the water, you knock it out with a sludge bomb...is that ok?" It shuddered again, as they both sat in wait.
"I don't know why this keeps happening, but I bet it has something to do with those kids following me," the man whispered down the phone in the corner of the pokémon center. He was upstairs, the view from the window revealing the span of the ocean to him Lilycove city just visible on the horizon.
"Well no matter what it is, you'd better start shaping up. Sort out those kids, and keep a close eye on your pokémon boxes. All these pokémon you are claiming to have caught are no use to me unless you actually send them!" the gruff voice on the other end of the conversation bellowed, followed by a slam of the receiver. As the dialing tone reverberated, the man returned the phone to its booth, and shut down his pokémon boxes on the PC next to him. He then held up one of his pokéballs in front of his face, and begun whispering to it.
"You are causing one dilemma...on the one hand, you're a godsend, being able to dominate all these puny trainers and their useless pokémon, while on the other...you're like a homing beacon for those two...the brown haired kid and that Gym leader." He re- pocketed the pokéball, and made his way towards the escalator down, donning a jet-black baggy denim jacket, with a small, red capital 'R' printed onto the top right hand pocket. "Let's go and get some more pokémon," he chuckled to himself as he left the center, and stood proudly at the Center of Mossdeep Island.
Setijin lazed back on Gyarados' neck, his eyes closed, and arms forming a rest behind his head, while Lucia and Gulpin continued to try and fish down below. Both of their Eevee's had been let out and were currently bounding up and down Gyarados' tail.
"Surely we must be able to hit one Staryu sooner or later," Lucia sighed.
"You wouldn't have any pokémon with electric attacks would you?" Setijin suggested, his eyes still shut, and his tone of voice very apathetic and lazy.
"I have a Plusle and a Minun, but neither have any electrical skills," she replied.
"They still have a tiny amount of electrical discharge though, right? Well, all you have to do is get one in the water, and that will at least stun the Staryu enough to bring them closer to the surface..."
"That's not a bad idea." Lucia pulled out a pokéball, and released her Plusle, which she immediately picked up into her arms. She quickly explained what to do, and carefully lowered it into the water, continuing until the water reached its cheeks, and sure enough, some of the Staryu within the immediate vicinity quivering from the small static shock, before rising to the surface. Lucia quickly pulled Plusle back out of the water, and held it against her with one arm, using her free arm to prepare a spare pokéball.
"Here Staryu, Staryu, Staryu..." she cooed. Suddenly, one broke the surface and floated on its back, its red core buzzing with a light, effervescent glow. She dropped the pokéball onto it, and caught it on the bounce, as the Staryu was dragged inside, struggling violently. As the ball shook, Plusle squeezed its way out of Lucia's grip, and leapt through the air, onto the tip of Gyarados' tail. As it landed, tiny sparks of static shot from its body into Gyarados, causing it to whip its tail into the air, catapulting Plusle off ahead, a small 'plop' heard as it crashed into the water.
"That's gotta sting," Setijin joked as he flipped onto his front and peered off into the distance over Gyarados' head, Lucia clasping her pokéball as the resistance became less urgent, returning her Eevee and Gulpin back to the safety of their own pokéballs. Setijin did the same with his Eevee, before directing Gyarados forwards again, towards Plusle's point of impact.
"I really hope he's ok," Lucia worried. "It'd be an incredibly stupid way to go..."
"Don't worry, he's fine," Setijin comforted, pointing out to sea. "Look, he's holding onto that Staryu over there. Oh look, there's another one...and...ah." The two watched as one by one, more and more Staryu emerged from the water, and floated into the air, circling Plusle. Setijin urged Gyarados to move faster. Lucia climbed up the pokémons neck, past Setijin to get a better look at the situation.
"Oh no. That is certainly NOT good." As Gyarados got closer to the pack, she sat back, with her hands over her mouth, shivering with indecision. Before Setijin could air his views, she shook herself out of her anxiousness, and released her Minun, making sure not to let it make contact with Gyarados. "You ready Minun? Use the Staryu on the surface to your advantage," she called, hurling her into the crowd, landing next to Minun. The Staryu now numbered around 2-dozen, Plusle and Minun stood in the middle, back to back, using the floating Staryu as a makeshift platform.
"This should be quite interesting," Setijin mumbled to himself. Plusle and Minun started to buzz with electric energy. As the first Staryu closed in on them, a spark flew between it and the two mice, flinging it backwards. Minun, realizing the effect of their static proceeded to leap at one of the hovering star pokémon, before quick attacking three more in succession. Plusle remained in the center of the platform, clapping its partner on. With each successive hit, Minun's power and speed seemed to increase, with more and more Staryu flopping back into the water. As the Minun reached its crescendo, leaping high above the cluster of stars, its cheeks throbbed and unleashed a flurry of powerful sparks down at its enemies. As the sparks shot down, segments split off, connecting and paralyzing the Staryu. It landed comfortably on the lone star acting as a platform next to Plusle, and leapt back towards Gyarados as their support started to sink, Lucia recalling the pair back into their pokéballs.
"They make a great team," Setijin commented. Lucia patted the balls as she holstered all three of them, housing Plusle, Minun and her new Staryu to rest alongside Gulpin and Eevee. "Hey, look ahead! Mossdeep is getting close!"
"It looks so beautiful," Lucia admired, gazing at the island, surrounded with serene turquoise waters, with palm trees swaying blissfully in the ocean breeze, small houses lining the cliffs, and the humungous space center climbing up the sky in the background. Up on the cliffs, next to what appeared to be the pokémon center stood the silhouette of two figures, with an enormous, dragon shaped shadow sat next to them. Setijin squinted in an attempt to make out the image.
"I can't make out what that is, but whatever it is, it looks powerful!" Setijin analyzed. Lucia clambered up Gyarados to look as well.
"Well, I'm sure we'll find out once we beach. Get ready, the waters starting to get shallow. We're finally at Mossdeep Island!"
Setijin and Lucia waded through the soggy sand, repeatedly layered with fresh blankets of seawater sweeping across it. Setijin half turned to face Gyarados, and gave him a 'thumbs up'.
"That was great work Gyarados. Time for you to rest." He returned Gyarados, and placed the ball back into its slot on his belt.
"Its incredible how a pokémon as short tempered as a Gyarados listens to you so obediently within such a short space of time," Lucia said.
"I think it's more out of fear of Medicham," Setijin chuckled.
"Pardon?"
"Oh, never mind. The basic story is, Medicham one big time," he replied. Lucia smiled and subtly sped up, overtaking Setijin, reaching the flight of sandy stairs leading up to the main part of the island.
"Hi guys!" Winona called out to them. She stood waving, at the top of the stairs, accompanied by the league trainer, and his towering Dragonite, standing tall above all of them.
"Winona?" Setijin returned. Lucia ran forward and hugged her, as Setijin and the trainer paced up to each other and firmly shook hands.
"Setijin," he introduced.
"Arc," the trainer responded.
"Well," Winona began, "you've both proved you're up for the challenge. Lucia I already knew had pokémon handling skills, but we really wanted to test Setijin's potential."
"So that's why you left us...so, did I do alright by your standards?"
"You made it here, didn't you?" she replied chirpily. Setijin smiled back wearily. Arc stepped into the center of the group and began to share his story.