A/N: Welcome to this latest installment, a fair amount of summarizing going on in this chapter. Most details are important but not all will pay off right away. Please leave a review, would love more feedback.
En route to Shamouti Island, Maren was controlling the boat. August was sitting on the bow section meditating but listening intently to all conversation. Danny was sitting at the stern with Charlie and Skye who still had a confused look.
"So let me get this straight, you both had separate interactions with my mom?" Skye asked.
Danny just laughed then said, "Why don't I tell you about that adventure when I used to be the Navel Gym Leader." Danny proceeded to tell them about how he met Ash, Misty, and Tracey by seeing them on the beach, while he was windsurfing. When he came up, he didn't identify himself as the gym leader, just that he knew the gym was at the top of the mountain on the island. Ash and Misty were bickering back and forth and how he thought they both were sweet on the other. Charlie noticed Danny trying to gauge Skye's face similarly to Lawrence. Skye, however, had a very vacant expression. Ash being a bit impatient with trying to get up the mountain cept the first test for the gym was to climb the mountain without Pokemon help. Tracey and Misty rode the ski lift up the mountain, Danny didn't quite make out what Misty had said that caused Ash to lose his footing on the cliff. When Ash was reminded by Danny to not use any Pokemon or forfeit challenging the gym leader. Thankfully Ash did grab a hold of a rock on the cliffside before continuing on up with Danny and Pikachu. Of course, then Team Rocket had tried to grab Pikachu when they took a break. Danny helped by grabbing the plug that they were trying to get Pikachu with. The rock Danny put into it sent them flying and led to them hitting a geyser. When Pikachu got cold as they started to hit the snow, Danny shared how impressed by Ash was, particularly by him even taking off his own coat to keep Pikachu warm. When they finally made it to the summit of the mountain and the gym, Danny revealed to Ash he was in fact the gym leader. All he had to do to win his next Orange League badge was beat Danny in two out of three challenges. In the first challenge Danny won with his Nidoqueen freezing a geyser faster than Ash's Lapras. The second challenge surprised Misty and Tracey because Ash used Charizard, who according to Danny was rather disobedient at the time. Instead of helping make the frozen geyser into a bobsled, Charizard had spent the whole time attempting to burn Ash. Skye made a mental note to ask her mom about this Charizard because from the clips she had seen of Ash, his Charizard looked rather obedient. The last part challenge was a race between Ash and Danny, despite Team Rocket interfering again by digging a hole Ash stopped and helped Danny even though going on would have been an easy win. Together they thwarted Team Rocket with their Pokemon while Misty and Tracey waited at the finish line on the beach. When they restarted the race, Danny was confident he would win due to Ash getting off the path only for him to reappear above him and though his bobsled became as small as a patch of ice, Ash and his team crossed the line before Danny, winning the badge.
"It really showed me that he will overcome all challenges, even the ones he puts on himself." Danny said with a longing to tell Ash that to his face.
"Sounds like a funny adventure!" Charlie said a few chuckles and awe at Ash overcoming a bobsled that was coming apart.
Skye merely looked over at Charlie saying, "Sounds like someone who doesn't like to have a plan, even when he obviously should."
"Cool it you two." August spoke up from the bow, "Ash still won the challenge which is impressive, but Skye you are right, he should have had a better plan."
Danny just laughed at the exchange, though he didn't say it, he felt Skye and Charlie were acting not too dissimilar to Ash and Misty.
Maren shouted down, "If I had known he beat you that way, I would have given you more griff about it, when he became monarch."
At that all of them chuckled at the remark including Danny. "Any idea Danny, why Team Rocket was after Pikachu?" Skye asked.
"To tell you the truth I do not know, I would think your mom would know." Danny said.
"She doesn't really like to talk in depth about these adventures." Skye sullenly said.
Maren spoke up, "If you think that adventure was crazy, wait another hour and Melody will give you a good one."
"Whose Melody?" Charlie asked.
"She was with your mom, Ash and Tracey, during their adventure with Lugia." Maren said.
"So…she is the girl Lawrence spoke about." August said now becoming more active in the conversation.
Skye went down below while they all shared some stories about their own adventures. Maren shared how she met Danny bringing a challenger to Navel Island. Before she could ferry the challenger to Kinnow Island, Danny asked if she could find time to go on a date with him. Since that moment they could barely stay apart, and Danny decided his relationship with Maren mattered more than the gym, and so he retired from the Orange Crew. He still enjoys the time he has with Pokemon, even battling from time to time.
During this storytime, Skye was having a bit of a moment, pacing back and forth below deck, what was already going through her head was, why didn't her mom tell her some of these adventures? Didn't all of these stories show how much fun she had, and also show how important her friendship was with Ash? She also was growing sick of hearing people talking about how they were at least vibing with each other. Made her skin crawl a bit, but she also felt her Uncle Tracey was hiding more than he let on he knew. Though she did know about him adventuring with her mom in the Orange Islands, he never until recently mentioned Ash. It was making her wonder if other close friends her mom had, were hiding something, but it's not like she could bring them all in a room and say, "What do you know about Ash Ketchum?" She wondered who else she could get in touch with who might tell her more stories. Last she heard Brock was helping a Nurse Joy in Alola, while also enjoying a more relaxing Island life. Lily spent a lot more time in Hoenn. Violet spent more time in Unova modeling and enjoying her free time away from responsibilities. She hoped after an attempt to find answers in Shamouti, she would have enough evidence to confront her mom about her relationship with Ash.
Upon arriving on Shamouti, August, Charlie, and Skye were beginning to hop off the boat when a group of people wearing what looked like wooden bird heads and other tribal bird wing attire approached them. August, who didn't look phased, merely stood there while Charlie and Skye took a step back towards the boat.
"Danny, Maren!" A woman's voice came from one of the bird heads. She removed her bird head and said, "It's been a while." A brown haired woman, with viridian eyes, and pale skin showed her face.
"Carol, it's great to see you." Maren said back, hopping down and hugging Carol.
"Looks like you only try to make your way back to us on days of the annual legend festival." Carol teased.
"Well it is my favorite island festival." Maren said a little bashfully.
Danny hopped down and Carol gave him a hug, "Is Melody still going to be the festival maiden?" Danny asked, before a response came from Carol, another bird head was removed revealing a brown haired, pale skinned, woman with bright blue eyes.
"Sorry Danny, I am a little too old for that now, my niece Yodel will be doing it this year." Melody said. August, Charlie, and Skye noted that it was Melody.
Carol shouted, "Yodel?!"
"I am right here." A girl from the top of the deck shouted back, she was dressed in a off white crop top, with high waist jeans, with a full hole on the right knee, and a particle tear on the left knee, paired with white sneakers, "You would think after some time, we would outgrow this ritual."
"It's our tradition, Yodel!" Melody bit back. Carol kind of smirked because about 20 years ago she acted similarly to Yodel.
"Don't worry aunt Melody, I will do my role…" Yodel said, waving off her aunt.
"As you can see, that is my daughter Yodel." Carol said, "And who did you bring Maren?"
"Oh, sorry this is Charlie, he is a Pokemon trainer." Maren started to introduce the trio when the group shouted, "POKEMON TRAINER!"
"The ancient legend foretells your arrival only will you and the great guardian of the water vanquish the titans of fire, ice, and lightning." Their leader came forward in a dark blue bird head mask saying, "In your hands oh chosen one, in your hands rest the world and its fate."
"Um…what?" Charlie asked as he sweat dropped.
"Don't worry kid, it's just for the tourists." The leader said.
No one noticed till this second, that Yodel had come closer and now setting her eyes upon Charlie said, "You're a Pokemon trainer, well you will do here is your traditional welcome kiss." Yodel planted a kiss to Charlie's cheek causing a slight blush to erupt on Charlie's face. August eyebrows raised, and Skye's jaw dropped but also seemed to have fire radiating behind her eyes. Yodel, noticing Skye, asked her, "Are you his girlfriend?"
"I am not." Skye said rather defiantly.
"Well good cause I would hate to be getting in the way, or causing a rift." Yodel said. Melody merely looked closer at Skye and was almost at a loss for words, how similar she looked to Misty. She also remembered getting a similar look to the one Skye shot at Yodel as they began to walk. The tribe started celebrating that they had found their Pokemon Trainer/Chosen one to participate in the festival. Many smaller ceremonies were going on, along with a ton of street vendors for the festival. From a Gyarados puppet moved by about 12 different people through the street, a ritual dance around a totem about the legend, the festival was bursting with color and activity. Plenty of tourists who came to see the festival, got tribe outfits for their kids to run around in, some pretending to be the legendary titans of Articuno, Zapdos, or Moltres.
They started heading to the dinner where the festival maiden would perform. August was trying to imbue to Charlie how important it was he took the ceremony seriously. Even if the leader had said it's done for the tourists, the ceremony was still sacred. Skye had been fairly quiet but had a bit of a miffed or annoyed look on her face. While the trio sat at one table, Maren, Melody, Danny, and Carol were sitting at another sharing jokes, and catching up on each other's lives. Melody teased them about when exactly little Danny's or Maren's would start wandering around. The couple merely blushed at the comment and tried to avoid it entirely.
Charlie was looking around, both excited and confused as to what exactly he was going to be doing. Then it started a song being played on a shell ocarina, Yodel emerged in a mainly white tribal outfit with a beautiful veil. Melody and Carol were very pleased to see that even though Yodel was a smart mouth, she took her role as the festival maiden seriously, not missing a note while performing. Charlie saw how beautiful Yodel looked and seemed stunned, Skye noticing had a scowl, August merely noted Skye's face before focusing on Yodel.
As Yodel finished her song, she came down from the stage approaching Charlie saying, "Hear ye all. From the trio of islands ancient spheres shall you take, for between life and death, all the difference you'll make." Kneeling before Charlie she continued, "O Chosen one, you must climb to the shrine to right what is wrong." Then wrapping her hands around Charlie's arm, "And the world will be healed by the Guardian's song."
"Cool…what do I do?" Charlie asked, still a bit dazed.
"I already told you, Charlie." Yodel said. Skye rolled her eyes wanting to scream, Charlie can be dense despite how obvious the quest was.
"Yeah…I heard all of that, but what are the spheres exactly?" Charlie clarified.
"Oh, it will not be very hard Charlie, not for you." Yodel said, "Besides, almost all the chosen ones come back alive."
Melody yelled from the other table, "YODEL!"J
Yodel smiling just waved her aunt off like she was being dramatic. Sitting at the table with Charlie, Skye, and August, Yodel said, "All you need to do is get these glass balls from three islands, one from fire island, one from lightning island, and one from ice island." Using an orange, a pear, and a mango to represent each glass ball. Getting up she spun around saying, "Bring them back to the shrine here, and I celebrate by playing this little song." Playing the ocarina quickly Yodel finished saying, "Then it is over, O, chosen one."
"Do I get to wear a cool costume?" Charlie asked.
Not really looking at Charlie, Yodel came up grabbed the pear and said, "It's just come as you are," Taking a bit of the pear, she winked at Charlie before saying, "Besides you look perfect to me, the most handsomest chosen one, in years."
Standing up Charlie looked like he was ready to take on the world. "Alright, is there a boat I can take?"
Yodel giggled before putting her hand on his shoulder and forcing him back into his seat saying, "You have all day tomorrow for that. Tonight's just for the party."
Skye meanwhile was eating some more food and actively trying to ignore their banter. August noticed this but was also trying to understand what the point of this festival was.
Maren stood up from her table saying, "Charlie, we will head out first thing in the morning, we can take my boat."
Taking in the rest of the celebration, they headed to a set of rooms that they provided. Skye, annoyed, chose a room separate from August and Charlie. As Charlie was trying to see why she was choosing a separate room, she slammed the door in his face.
August said, "Let her cool off."
The next morning, there wasn't a ton of pomp or traditional send off, Charlie got into Maren's boat, they left with a few waves from Yodel, Carol, Danny, and Melody. Skye, who had been waiting in her room till Charlie was gone, finally emerged and was surprised when the very person she was looking for was right there waiting for her. Melody had her hands on her hips tapping her foot, and said, "Want to tell me why, you're annoyed with my niece?"
"I am not annoyed." Skye said, trying not to meet Melody's eyes.
"Ok…you are annoyed at Charlie." Melody said softly.
Hoping to try and play it off as cool, Skye lifted her head and walked towards the door only for Melody to put her arm out blocking her way. "Try to sell that to someone else buying." Melody said a bit of a bite in her tone, seeing a twinge of fear in Skye's face, Melody took a breath and softened her tone saying, "Look I get you may think you can fool me, but trust me I was you, even having a similar look as you." Gesturing at the outfit Skye wore, "So let's cut the bull shit and let me buy you some breakfast." Skye realizing there wasn't a way out of this she followed Melody to a local coffee shop.
"This process goes by easier, if you don't have me grilling you question after question." Melody stated after Skye tried to silent treatment her. Sitting at a table.
Sighing Skye said, "Are guys always stupid?"
Melody coughed slightly on her coffee before saying, "Yes."
"I mean, he is free to do as he wants with whomever he wants." Skye said.
"I wouldn't overread him reacting, boys react to people showing them attention." Melody stated, "He seems like he has a good head on his shoulders."
Snorting slightly Skye said, "Just wish he would think things through a bit more."
Melody shook her head chuckling slightly, "Trust me I know."
Side glancing Melody, Skye asked, "How so?"
Melody sniggered before starting her tale of woe. How she used to dress exactly like Skye thinking her ancestral traditions were lame. Her first year playing the festival maiden, she met a Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum, who stumbled onto the Island due to a storm that drove Maren along with Misty and Tracey to Shamouti. Ash then stubbornly set out with Maren the night of the dinner, just as the storm began to worsen, leading to Melody growing concerned for their safety. Melody got the keys to Carol's boat and raced to the dock followed by Misty and Tracey, Melody looked at Skye and decided she would be honest. As they raced through the water towards Fire Island hoping that was where they headed first. En route Melody admitted to teasing Misty about her feelings about Ash. Skye almost wanted to interrupt and ask something but thought she should let Melody finish her story first.
When reaching Fire Island, they found Maren's boat had lost its rutter, and was stranded on the beach. Melody used the sail on Carol's boat to force it to fly up the hill. Ash had already gotten the Fire sphere from the shrine for Moltres, when Team Rocket, Melody, Misty and Tracey, found Ash. Once Zapdos appeared it distracted everybody and when Pikachu asked Zapdos why it had come to Fire Island, Meowth translated their communication allowing them to understand that Moltres had gone missing or had died. Then came a flying palace out of the clouds absorbing all the eclectic power of Zapdos, this charged capture cages flew out of it grabbing Zapdos, and everyone else in the area. It was there Melody said she noticed the stone tablet that Lawrence had in his collection, which had one of the earlier recorded versions of the legend. Misty had confronted Lawrence about how sick his collection mindset was, and while he left all of them in his palace, they along with Team Rocket attempted to break out Moltres and Zapdos. Eventually Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Pikachu broke Moltres out. Moltres when it stood outside of his cage, erupted its powerful Flamethrower over Zapdos releasing it and they proceeded to destroy the flying palace. This caused a crash landing onto Lightning Island, where they all escaped and found Carol's boat had also fallen out of the palace. Ash also grabbed the lightning sphere and when they all got back on Carol's boat and as they were falling onto the now ice covered water, a song was heard before they were caught by a whirlpool that took them back to Shamouti. Coming out of the whirlpool was the legendary guardian Lugia. Emerging from the whirlpool it battled, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres till eventually succumbing to their attacks and falling back into the water. It was then that Melody played the song because when Lugia sang it sounded like her ocarina. Healed by the song, Lugia proceeded to stay in front of them, while Melody, Tracey, and Misty heard Ash responding like he was talking to Lugia, Melody said none of them knew what Lugia was saying to Ash. Both her and Misty, encouraged Ash along with his Pokemon to believe he could do it, since they now believed the legend was referring to him. The line, "the world will turn to Ash." Or at least that was how they had started to interpret it. The next thing Melody saw of Ash, he had constructed a bobsled of sorts out of wreckage from Carol's boat, using Charizard, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle as essentially mushers heading towards Ice Island.
Not long after he left Tracey, Misty, and Melody thought they saw an orange emergency raft going over the ice covered sea towards Ash. While waiting they saw a multitude of Pokemon gathering closer and closer to Shamouti, from Gyarados, to Nidokings, Pidgeots, and Fearows. They noticed Lugia coming back closer and it sounded like Ash and Pikachu were riding atop Lugia, just as he called out, she saw rings emerge and attack Lugia causing it to unleash its Aeroblast at Lightning Island. Presumably to hit Lawrence's palace, before they saw it streak across the sky hitting Moltres and Zapdos. Seeing Lugia plummet to the water and crash through the ice, the sky began to darken, having what looked like black tornados emerge from the water. With no sign that Ash or Pikachu survived the crash, Melody was ready to try and swim out and see if she could find them, offering Misty her ocarina.
Misty eyed Melody carefully before shaking her head, pushing the ocarina back towards Melody she said, "Mmm-mmm. You'll have to play Lugia's song. I'll go look for him. And Ash is never really alone, 'cause he's got…" She saw Misty hesitate slightly like she wasn't sure if she should say it, "Me." Melody stopped her story, realizing Skye's face showed great interest at this exchange.
"I do not know if your mother still holds a torch for Ash…" Melody stated, seeing Skye's face slightly falter she said, "But, I do know at this moment in time whether she admitted to him or not she definitely cared about him as more than a friend." Deciding to prod Skye just a bit she said, "She also gave similar reactions you gave to Yodel."
Skye blushed before saying, "Cept I do not like Charlie like that."
Melody, though noting the blush in her head decided it wasn't really necessary to get her to admit those feelings. Continuing on with her story she said Misty and Tracey told her, Misty found Ash unconscious with Pikachu struggling to hold Ash's head above water. With Tracey pulling the rope Misty had tied to herself, she brought Ash and Pikachu to the shore. Misty never claimed or said she did CPR to Ash, and Tracey never said anything one way or the other but eventually Ash regained consciousness. Though he apparently was very wobbly legged due to the pain he suffered, according to both Misty and Tracey, he didn't want them to hold him up as he brought the last sphere back to the temple. Once it was placed, it caused the temple to remove all the ice and snow that had fallen on it and spilled out green water that enveloped the stone pillars and made them into what looked like ice pillars. Since Lugia was not present Melody came forward and began to play Lugia's song, causing each respective pillar to light up when she hit a certain note. Melody said she kept her eyes closed to make sure she hit every single note, but was told by Misty and Tracey that the green water spilled from the temple area and out onto the ice covered sea, and appeared to bring healing powers to Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. Even leading to Lugia reappearing also healed and ready to carry Ash and Pikachu alongside the three legendary birds till eventually a large undercurrent emerged from the sea and as the song finished it re submerged beneath the sea. Each legendary bird heading back to its respective island. Melody said when she opened her eyes and saw Shamouti and everywhere else looked like it had before the storm, she fell to her knees, and held her ocarina close to her heart. Understanding that although she felt at times the legend festival was dorky, if someone didn't know how to in that crisis play that song the world could have ended. Later in the evening Carol and a few others went and helped tow Maren and her boat back from Fire Island to Shamouti where it was repaired before it took Ash, Misty, and Tracey away.
"Since that day I hadn't seen any of them except Ash, and Misty on TV when they would compete in tournaments." Melody stated, a tear formed in her eye that fell, "I really hate that he went missing."
"He seems to have brought hope everywhere he went." Skye said to no one in particular.
Wiping the tears and chuckling slightly Melody responded, "Yes, even in spite of making decisions that put his life in unnecessary peril."
Both of them laughed at that comment. "Do other chosen ones die?" Skye asked in all seriousness.
Sighing Melody said, "Yes, but, usually it's due to them trying to or at least our guess is they try to capture one of the legendary birds on the islands, leading to them not making it back."
"I don't particularly see Charlie trying that right now, none of his Pokemon could have any chance of lasting against them." Skye said.
August and Carol walked up seeing the pair when August said, "There you are Skye, I thought you were going to stay holed up in your room."
"Sorry to disappoint you. August, what have you been up to?" Skye asked.
"Talking with Carol about their traditions, seeing if there are any similar ones my people have back home." August stated before turning to Carol, "Thank you for sharing with me your traditions."
"It's been a pleasure." Carol said, "I hope Melody hasn't been badgering you."
Skye responded quickly, "Oh no, not at all, just sharing what she knew about my mom when she was here."
August asked, "Anything worth knowing?"
"Yeah," Skye stood up and began to walk towards the docks where hopefully Charlie and Maren would return soon, "My mom was crazy swimming in waters that had black tornadoes emerging from it." Just as they reached the docks, Yodel was waving at them pointing to Maren's boat coming back. While they were waiting for them to pull in Melody turned to Skye and said, "Do you happen to know what happened to Togepi?"
"Huh?" Skye wondered back.
"Togepi, it was a Pokemon your mom carried around almost like a baby egg." Melody stated.
"Oh, I did see a few pictures of it. I do not know what happened to it though." Skye shrugged.
"Shame, it was pretty cute." Melody said.
When Charlie and Maren got back onto the dock he showed the spheres he had collected. Each of them colored similarly to the element they represented. None of them were glowing as Melody had noted in her head when she saw them 20 years ago. Yodel then proceeded to do the song as she needed to do, ending the ceremony with cheers from the elders and the tourists who enjoyed the festival. Yodel chose to plant another kiss on Charlie's cheek before winking at him leaving Charlie stunned. As they were all eating a celebratory dinner, Skye excused herself from August and Charlie saying there was something she needed to do.
Finding a phone she called her mom waiting patiently for her to answer. "Hi Sweetie, " Misty said when she picked up.
"Hi mom, sorry I meant to call sooner but we got distracted when we got to Shamouti." Skye said.
"Shamouti, why did you head there?" Misty asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
Skye decided to hide the real reason and gave, "We heard about this annual legend festival, and didn't want to miss it."
"Oh, yeah I do kind of remember that." Misty said. "Who was the trainer they asked to do it this year?"
"Charlie." Skye said very nonchalantly.
At that Misty noticed her daughter blushing slightly, "Should I let you go to celebrate with him?"
"Oh um yeah, thanks mom, by the way, it's pretty badass of you to save Ash during the storm you saw 20 years ago." Skye said, hanging up the phone.
Misty blushed hearing that. But it was a little flattering as well. Looking back it was pretty badass, but with that she knew she needed to make a call. Calling the person who didn't pick up she decided to send a text saying, "DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TELL MY DAUGHTER ABOUT ASH AND I"
Three dots indicated a response was coming before it said back, "Misty why would it come up now?"
"Brock, just trust me ok." Misty texted back.