Hello hello, it has been like two months now since the last chapter and we have broken 100 followers! I really appreciate it and it's one of the things that push me to actually continue writing. Anyways, enjoy the chapter.
Day 23
The trek back from the caldera was a slow and cautious one. With much input from Wilson, Daniel left the caldera with a lonely pokemon egg. By the time they reached camp, it was sunset and a perfect time to retire. Now Daniel awakens embracing the egg against his bare chest like a teddy bear.
"Good morning Wilson!"
Wilson uproots himself, shakes off any remaining dirt, and looks at Daniel holding the egg.
Daniel sits upright, Still hugging the egg. "And good morning to you, mystery orphan."
The egg feels warmer now than it was at the caldera, but it gives no reply.
"Well... you can answer when you're ready" Daniel says as he rises to his feet.
Daniel sets off on his normal routine. The beaches in the morning and the forest in the afternoons. He keeps at least one arm wrapped around the egg and carries it all day. As usual, Wilson follows Daniel around, but he seems a little annoyed. He rolls his eyes and kicks the dirt whenever Daniel asks him to watch the egg. Wilson only lightens up whenever Daniel feeds him some berries or coconut meat. By the end of the day, the atmosphere between them is cold and Daniel's arms are burnt out.
"Well that was a tiring experience" Daniel complains. "I should have made a baby carrier or something , eh Wilson?"
Wilson does not know what a baby carrier is. He replies to Daniel with confusion written on his face.
"Okay so its like something I wear on my back or chest so that I have my hands free" says Daniel with a single accompanying jazz hand.
The oddish rolls his eyes and kicks some dirt.
"Whoa now, you've been acting up all day. Do you have a problem walking, or are you sick or something?"
Wilson shakes his head and directs a foot at the egg.
"Ah. You're jealous!" Daniel says playfully.
Wilson vehemently shakes his head with an angry frown. Then he points to the caldera with his foot.
Daniel's tone takes a serious shift. "I am not putting this egg back. I'm not gonna just abandon this helpless thing!"
Wilson shakes his head again, scrunches his face and leaves his mouth hanging as if to say "are you stupid?" Wilson then rubs his foot in the dirt, leaving a round imprint. Then he drags his foot down from the imprint, drawing a spoon. Then he gives the spoon arms and legs.
"Is that supposed to be me?" asks Daniel. Wilson has piqued his interest.
Wilson nods.
"I know pokemon are supposed to be smart, but this is just something else. This is abstract thought representation. What the hell."
Wilson continues his presentation. He draws a mean looking face with big teeth. He then draws an egg above it. Finally, Wilson draws a few lines from the mouth of the mean face right over Daniel's stick figure body, figuratively destroying it.
"You think that some big, mean pokemon is going to come back and attack us for taking this egg?"
Wilson nods once more.
"... I see."
The scene at the caldera had crossed Daniel's mind a few times throughout the day, particularly the lack of any bodies at the scene.
"You would think that mother hen would die defending her offspring right? Or maybe she ran off with as many eggs as she could carry... or fell from the sky as she ran off. I could be a million different things"
Daniel looks at Wilson. He is waiting for a response.
"Wilson. Do you really think it's ok to leave a defenseless egg out in the wild? To abandon a child who has lost its family?" Daniel clutches the egg a little tighter.
Wilson stares at the ground.
"Because I don't think that's okay. More than that, I think it's straight up wrong. I understand your concerns, I do. But if either of the egg's parents were able or willing, I think they would have shown up by now. I don't know how long ago the fight took place but if it were a loud one, it must have happened before I got here. Whoever wanted this egg had 23 days to get it, but they didn't show up. I think everything will be fine, Wilson."
Wilson looks up at Daniel. The oddish sighs walks to his spot near Daniel's cot and sits down.
Daniel walks over and sits on the ground across from Wilson. "Are you still upset?"
Wilson remains sitting.
"Are we still... friends?" The last word escapes Daniel's mouth. It makes him feel uneasy, almost embarrassed.
Wilson looks Daniel dead in the eyes. Wilson nods.
Day 30
Daniel moves the egg carrier from his chest to his back. The bark fiber ropes chafe and itch his shoulders where they rest. The egg sits snugly in Daniel's yellow shirt, which has been tied off and secured to the uncomfortable rope harness.
"Well Wilson, I might be having second thoughts right now about this harness." Daniel jokes.
Wilson gives a small chuckle.
"Wow, I didn't know that you could make that noise."
Wilson smiles back at Daniel.
The sun has risen above the watery horizon. It begins bathing Daniel and Wilson in its searing heat. The gentle sea breeze and splashing waves greet Daniel as he approaches the beach with Wilson and his fishing spear. It is currently low tide, so Daniel treks to the lagoon which is only connected to the ocean at high tide. Hopefully there will be some fish stuck there. The lagoon soon comes into view. It is much redder than normal.
"Uh... What the hell?"
Krabby and sea foam blanket the lagoon. The sand isn't visible through the layer of red pokemon. The gentle sounds of the wind give way to a constant clicking as Daniel approaches the horde. The uncountable krabby are packed together in a single, undulating mass covered in a thin layer of foam. The clicking gets louder and faster as Daniel steps closer. As Daniel gets worryingly close, and the clicking becomes worryingly frantic, Wilson kicks Daniel's leg.
"Yeah, lets get out of here..." says Daniel as he keeps eyes on the mass of krabby.
He begins walking backwards. Slowly. Wilson takes off running.
"Hey Wilson! Wait up!" yells Daniel
The clicking from the krabby mass grows faster and louder until it becomes a roaring buzz. Several tiny krabby start breaking off and scurry towards Daniel. Soon a carpet of krabby are converging on Daniel.
"Shit. That was stupid of me" murmurs Daniel as he turns and runs.
Daniel breaks out into a sprint in his flip flops, being mindful of the egg on his back and he soon catches up to Wilson. He takes a look behind him. The krabby carpet is keeping pace somehow.
"What the hell, how are those things keeping up?" Daniel wonders as his breath starts hastening.
Suddenly, a red body sprouts from the sands right under Daniel. As his left foot rises off the ground to continue in stride, it is caught and pierced by a red claw. His flip flop does nothing as pain shoots from the middle of Daniel's left foot to his brain, along with the cold feeling of spilled blood.
"AAHHRG. SHI..." Daniel is cut off as his face hits the sand. Wilson turns around and watches the egg fall out of Daniel's harness. A krabby the size of a watermelon has hold of Daniel's left foot and it begins closing its claw further. "AAAARRH" Daniel screams with his entire being. He feels his tendons tear and his bones snap as the krabby closes its grip. He ignores the feeling of sand in his mouth as he grits his teeth and attempts to rise to his knees. Wilson hurries towards Daniel's side. When he gets into range he spits a ball of purple liquid at the krabby clamping down on Daniel's foot. The krabby spots the attack and closes its eyes right as the purple liquid hits its body. It recoils in pain, releasing Daniel's foot. Daniel sharply exhales and remains on his knees hunched over in pain. The krabby wipes the acid from its eyes with its bloody claw and stares daggers at Wilson. The krabby charges Wilson with its claws held high. Wilson responds with a full force acid attack aiming to strike through his opponent. The krabby, unable to stop its charge, speeds up to break through Wilson's attack with sheer momentum. The beam of purple acid slams the krabby and launches it into the moving carpet with the rest of its angry kin.
With the immediate foe vanquished, Wilson hurries to Daniel who remains on his knees. Daniel starts wiping his face and spitting out sand.
"I'm okay Wilson. I'll be okay" Daniel remains on the ground despite his reassurances. The man crawls towards the egg on the sand in front of him. The cold, unmistakable pain in his left foot forbids him from flexing his left leg properly. He grabs the egg with his right arm and turns to face the buzzing carpet of krabby. It is now a few yards away, a few seconds from tearing him and the egg to shreds.
Without hesitation, Daniel quickly commands Wilson."Wilson, acid!"
Wilson jumps in front of Daniel and unleashes a mighty torrent of purple acid. The volume exceeds any attack performed before. The torrent covers the entire carpet, dousing every krabby in corrosive retribution. The buzzing lulls into pathetic clicking almost instantly. A few krabby slowly slink back towards the lagoon as the rest twitch in place.
"God, I hope it's over" sighs Daniel as he plants his right foot on the sand. With a grunt he hops onto his right leg and lifts his left foot off the ground. Pain flares up whenever his left foot flexes, but he keeps his balance and the egg close to his chest.
"Let's get the hell out of here."
Wilson nods with an expression of relief. The oddish keeps himself between Daniel and the lagoon as the man slowly hobbles back to camp.
