People, I got some bad news. I'm moving. Like, soon. Very soon. I will not have access to a computer for about a month or two. So updates aren't gonna happen….for a bit. Please don't forget about me tho! I promise as soon as I can, I will be back and posting! On the brighter side, I have a beta reader! Dracobolt does wonderful work especially since Dracobolt has to put up with me now lol.
Disclaimer: see previous chapters.
Chapter 26
Matt's Journey
"Michelle! Michelle!" a voice called out from the crowd. Matt looked around and spotted a pretty black girl with long dark brown hair tied back into two ponytails. In her arms she carried a box filled to the brim with what Matt could only classify as "stuff". Matt and Michelle had just arrived at Olivine City and Michelle had been eager to get to her charge. At the sight of the girl however, Michelle broke out into a wide grin and waved.
"Jasmine!" she called out happily and rushed to greet her. Matt and Eevee looked at each other and shrugged, then followed Michelle at a slower pace.
"I'm glad your back Michelle!" Jasmine was saying as Matt came up. "Amphy has been acting really weird lately. I'm at my wit's end trying to figure out what's wrong with her!" Michelle frowned and chewed on her thumb nail as she thought.
"She's not experiencing the usual symptoms?" Michelle asked quizzically. Jasmine shook her head and repositioned the box on her hip.
"No, not at all. She's still able to power the lighthouse and she's not acting sick, exactly. But she has been rather antsy and she has these weird bulges in her stomach. She sometimes groans in pain, but it doesn't seem to be near as painful as what she usually has. She also is having trouble sleeping. I've been staying up with her a lot."
Michelle bit her lip. "Well, it doesn't sound real serious, but I want to go see her right away, anyway."
Jasmine sighed in relief. "Great! I was just on my way over there with some food and stuff." She shifted the heavy box to try and hold it in a more comfortable position, but fumbled and lost her hold on it.
"Watch it!" Matt cried out catching the box and lifting it up before it fell.
"Whew! That was close, thanks," Jasmine said, then blinked and cocked her head. "Who are you?"
Michelle smacked the side of her head lightly. "Oh sorry! That was rude of me. Jasmine, this is Matt. I've been traveling with him recently. Matt, this is Jasmine; she's the one with the Ampharos I was telling you about."
Matt smiled and shifted the box into the crook of his arm with casual strength.
"Pleased to meet you." Jasmine smiled shyly, "The pleasure is all mine." Matt replied with a grin. Jasmine looked down and shuffled her feet, her cheeks giving off a becoming blush.
"I'll take that back now" she said and reached out her arms to take the box.
Matt waved her hands away. "Don't worry about it. I got it."
Jasmine clasped her hands behind her back and beamed at him. "Thank you so much!" Michelle glared at Jasmine and Matt, gave a small growl, and then pushed herself in between her two friends.
"Okay! Let's go see Amphy, shall we?" she exclaimed, her voice overly bright. She slipped her arm through Jasmine's and pulled her away from Matt, toward the lighthouse. "Hey Jasmine, did you see how my Larvitar evolved?" Michelle chattered as she led the girl away. Matt stared after them in bewilderment then looked down at Eevee.
"Was it just me, or was Michelle acting a little…..happier….. then normal?" he asked the pokemon. Eevee sighed and shook his head at his trainer's cluelessness before going off after the two girls.
"You've put in an elevator!" Michelle squealed happily as Jasmine pushed the up button.
Jasmine beamed. "Yep! I got tired of trudging up all those stairs a billion times a day." They stepped inside in the elevator, Jasmine first, then Michelle and Pupitar, and lastly Matt and Eevee.
"Not to sound stupid or anything¦" Matt began hesitantly as they waited for the elevator to hit the top floor, "But why are we going up in an elevator in a lighthouse?"
Jasmine giggled and explained, "Amphy powers the lighthouse. She lives on the top floor." Ding! The elevator and stopped everyone stepped out.
"Whoa," Matt said, looking around. It didn't look like what he expected a tower room in a lighthouse to look like. It looked more like someone's living room. The floor was carpeted, the walls were painted, and there was a couch, table, chairs, and even a mini fridge, microwave, and television. Michelle noticed Matt's admiration of the room and grinned at him.
"All the comforts of home," She told him with a wink.
"You can say that again," Matt replied, impressed.
"Amphy! Come on out now, you have visitors," Jasmine called out softly. A yellow and black head peeked out from behind the couch, then ducked down again.
Jasmine sighed. "Sorry about that. She's very shy of strangers."
Matt frowned. "But I thought Michelle has been taking care of her for awhile."
Michelle rolled her eyes. "I have. It's you she's afraid of." Michelle handed Pupitar to Matt and told him, "You and Eevee stay here while Jasmine and I see if we can get Amphy to come and greet you." Pupitar settled himself onto Matt's should and Eevee sat down and started to groom himself. Matt sighed and shrugged.
"It shouldn't be really long. Amphy really likes Michelle. She's the only other person besides me who she lets examine and feed her," Jasmine told Matt anxiously, placing a hand on his arm.
Matt grinned. "It's alright. Take your time."
"Come on, Jasmine," Michelle almost growled, grabbing the hand that was on Matt's arm and tugging her over to the couch. After a lot of cooing and coaxing, and a bribe with one of Michelle's sweet tasting potions, they finally got Ampy to come out from behind the couch. The pokemon waddled over to the middle of the floor and plopped down on the carpet, eyeing Matt suspiciously.
"Amphy, this is Matt and Eevee, friends of Michelle. And you should remember Pupitar. Remember? Last time you saw him, he was Larvitar" Jasmine cooed at Amphy. Pupitar jumped down from Matt's shoulder and slithered (?) AN- how DOES a Pupitar move? over to Amphy. Amphy smiled.
"Phar os" she said shyly, placing a paw lightly on Pupitar's back. Michelle bent down and gave Amphy a big smile.
"There, you see? It's not that scary, is it?" she said as she beckoned Matt over. Matt walked over to them with Eevee trotting at his side, then bent down in front of Amphy, sitting down the box.
"Hi there. It's nice to meet you," he said and stuck out his hand. Amphy eyed it for awhile then hesitantly brought up her paw to shake.
"Wow, Matt! She's never accepted someone so quickly! You must be really good with pokemon," Jasmine exclaimed in admiration.
Michelle coughed loudly before Matt could reply and said, "Alrighty then, let's get on to the examination, shall we?"
Just because I won't be here to read them for a bit, doesn't mean you shouldn't still review. Please do! It will reassure me that you all won't forget about this fic while I'm gone.
