Chapter Sixteen:
Seafarer

Disclaimer: I do not own the series Pokémon. Like, at all. It and all its respectable characters are © to Game Freak and Satoshi Tajiri. However, all writing contents and semi-plots here are © to me; unless it is stated otherwise. All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I do not own them.

Notes: I wanted to give a special thank you to one of my reviewers who goes by Mal. Thank you for your last review; I am so glad that you're enjoying my story, and I found you opening up to be an amazing thing, and I am so, so happy that you appreciated my meager attempts at giving some form of diversity in this story. I want to keep trying, and I hope that Ambrose becomes your favourite character in the foreseeable future. He may be blind, but he is my little badass, and just as he made me proud in my game run, I hope he makes you proud to watch his journey in this story unfold!

With another note, I must rejoice! Free at last, free at last! Spring semester is complete, my summer is free, and fall semester is down the line. I start a massively intensive animation class when it hits, so as fair warning, updates will slow down around that time. I'll be sure to give another heads-up when the time comes.

With all that aside, thank you to all the new readers who followed my page and this story! I'd love to hear feedback and how you're liking the story so far! As always, my blog, blue-skiesand-silverlinings, is open for asks directed toward the characters, and art is posted semi-regularly.

Current Team: Keno the Marshtomp, Sela the Poochyena, Ambrose the Ralts, Faye the Taillow, Breela the Shroomish, Luna the Skitty

Badges Won: Stone Badge


She loves the serene brutality of the ocean, loves the electric power she felt with each breath of wet, briny air."
—"Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale" by Holly Black


Shay's head was buzzing pleasantly. It was a welcome relief from the constant throbbing ache that beat uncomfortably at all angles inside her skull. The wine had tempered it, leaving her limbs tingling and fuzzy and loose. She knew it would come back in time, but for now, it was manageable as it beat dully behind the edges of her temples. The cab she and Brendan took slid to a crawl until it was idling at the curb right outside the Rustboro Pokémon Center. The taller young man helped her out, looking about as relaxed as she felt. The light spilling out onto the streets was warm and inviting. Brendan paid for the cab fare, despite Shay's protests, but he insisted, handing out the cash before Shay could dig for her wallet.

She pouted at him as they walked back into the lobby, mostly clear except for a few trainers, and some nurses.

"I could have paid, you know."

"I know," Brendan replied breezily, unabashed. Shay felt her good mood sour slightly. He had done the same thing at dinner as well; paying for the bill before she could even see it, even when she persisted in paying for her half. It was annoying.

She almost didn't notice the waving nurse at the front lobby desk, not until she heard a voice calling out, and Brendan stopped in his tracks. He gently tapped her shoulder.

"Shay? I think that nurse is waving at you."

She paused, looking over, squinting and perplexed. She dithered, wavering a little as she stood there, until she finally felt her feet compelled to move of their own volition. Quietly, she excused herself and extricated herself from Brendan's side. Her body was on autopilot while klaxons rang warnings in her head. She stopped at the desk, resisting the rising urge to fret and wring her hands.

The woman behind the desk beamed at her, relief washing over her features as Shay approached. She rifled through a drawer in her desk and immediately plopped something onto the desk in front of her.

"Hey there, you're looking much better than you did the other night, ma'am!"

Shay stared at her, drawing a blank at the woman's familiar tone with her. The smile stretching her lips slowly collapsed in on itself and the woman cleared her throat, dropping her gaze as her cheeks flushed.

"I suppose you don't remember me all that well, if you really did have a concussion. Um, I was the one who called the ambulance for you the other night. You know, after the cops had left you alone?"

Faint recognition flickered in Shay's dim memories of that night and she returned the hesitant, uncertain smile at the woman. The nurse who had helped her. That rang a bit of a bell.

"O-oh. Right. I'm…I'm sorry, I don't really recall it all that well."

It was a half-truth. Shay wasn't all that great at remembering peoples' faces after only a few times of seeing them. It took quite a few meetings—and nametapes—to help hammer in that person's identity into her brainpan. Her eyes flicked to the woman's nametape pinned to her scrubs at that moment, and she felt another flicker of recognition flare up inside her skull. Bethany. That, too, sounded familiar. She remembered white scrubs and hearts and Chansey prancing across the fabric…

Bethany work different ones today: cartoonish taffy-pink and pearl-white Corsola decorated the main fabric, a daring sea mint green. They romped about across the fabric, looking playful and happy.

"Sorry. I really, really am sorry. I didn't mean to offend—"

"It's okay, really. Not everyone gives more than a passing glance at a nurse. We're just background surplus or furniture to most people until they need something." The woman's lips stretched into another smile, this time shy and small and embarrassed.

Shay stared at her, somewhat aghast at the dismissal of her role.

"No, you're not. You're more than just another face in here."

Bethany blinked, taken aback by the sudden bark in Shay's tone, and she sat up straighter in her seat.

Shay took in a deep breath, steadying herself.

"You're not just another piece of…whatever, background, here. You're essential. You take care of people—and people's pokémon, too. And you comfort them if something doesn't go exactly right. You care, that's why you got in this profession, right?"

Bethany's pale cheeks bloomed a pale, ruddy red and she darted her eyes across the surface of her desk, mumbling a soft agreement. Shay leaned forward against the higher lobby desk to peer at the pokémon nurse.

"You take care of the files, the care of the pokémon left in your charge, you perform any and all tests that are needed to confirm diagnoses…you do much more than just sit at this desk. Today's just your shift manning it, right?"

Bethany's blush deepened and she laughed, nodding. "Yeah, it is. And…I guess you're right. I don't get a lot of trainers who come through here with as much enthusiasm towards nursing!"

"Oh, I'm not…I don't—" Shay chuckled. "I'm not in the profession of nursing. Or…pursuing it. But! I do have a few family members who are nurses—but, um. Human-centric. I don't recall if anyone worked in a Pokémon Center, but it wouldn't surprise me if someone further down the line did!"

Bethany's brown eyes shimmered, and in the light, they caught bright flakes of gold dappled within their depths as she stared at Shay with interest. "Really now? Most everyone in my family has been in the pokémon practitioners' field for as long as I can remember, on both sides of my family. I never considered human patients before. It's always been pokémon this and pokémon that in my household!"

Shay wasn't surprised at all by the admission. Bethany laughed, and it was a joyous sound, one that wasn't constrained by strict professionalism and the "act nice to customers" shield.

Shay talked with the nurse for a little while, listening as attentively as she could, as Bethany listed a few funny stories that her family had come home with, and with a few of her own. Shay, in return, related how her own grandmother—primarily a labour and delivery nurse of over forty-five years, now retired—had assisted in Shay's delivery at her birth—and how her mother's doctor had screwed up how far along her mother had been. They had told her mother how she had been at thirty-eight weeks, when in reality she'd been at forty—not to mention, her mother was having contractions, but the doctors delayed those with medication. Her mother took the prescribed drugs to disrupt contractions until her grandmother had told her to stop taking them, to go to the hospital, and then she'd hopped on a red-eyed midnight flight from California to Oklahoma to help Shay's mother. She also made it a point to berate Shay's idiot attending doctor for the misdiagnosis.

Of course, Shay had to leave California and Oklahoma out of the equation and had to improvise things a bit—saying her grandmother had been in Goldenrod and Shay being born in Cerulean. It was fast and sloppy, but Bethany seemed to drink it in without question.

"In another twist of irony," Shay remarked with a wide, tired grin, "my mother had to have a C-section after all the fuss, and when they gave her morphine for the procedure, they all found out that she was allergic to opioids, every single kind. Perfect timing, right?"

It was a very good thing that the names of some medications were the same in this world as they were in hers. It was something she had found out her first hospital visit in Petalburg for her kidney stones. The doctors had given Shay morphine to dull the pain during her initial first few hours in the hospital.

Bethany laughed, her cheeks rosy and one arm encircled around her stomach as she doubled over in her chair, the other arm leaning against the desk to brace herself.

"Oh, that is terrible! But I'm assuming everything was worked out in the end, right?"

Shay nodded in response. "It did, my mom is fine, but there was that time when I was old enough to walk and talk, I asked my mom to 'show her the hole I came out of' in a grocery store when she was batting her eyes at a handsome dude in line behind her at the register. He was in a nice suit and everything, she told me. She said I mortified her, even as she tried to explain I was a C-section baby to everyone around her."

"But w-wait," Bethany gasped, pushing herself up. "Why were you a C-section again?"

"Breech baby," Shay motioned to herself with a listless shrug. "I was in perfect position two weeks prior to the C-section."

Bethany's expression sobered up as she regarded Shay.

"Wow. That sounds horrible. I can't believe that doctor messed up so badly." A pause. "I've had to assist with C-sections on some pokémon before, because of pregnancy complications. It's never fun performing those kinds of surgeries. I can only imagine how much worse it can be for human beings, though."

"I can imagine that it's not fun at all." Shay nodded. "And it was almost thirty years ago for me and my mom, so…yeah."

Bethany sat up straight, eyes snapping wide and she gaped at Shay, scrutinizing her more thoroughly now.

"I'm sorry, but how old are you?"

"Um…twenty-seven."

"No, you're not. You can't be more than eighteen!"

Shay rubbed the back of her head. She got this often enough that it was a statement as old as time. Many more people yet have always looked at her twice when she said she was in the Marines, looking both impressed and dubious at her claims. "My mom still gets carded and she's in her late forties."

Bethany's mouth popped open as she studied Shay with a sharp eye. "Wow. Good genes. You're about eight years younger than I am, and let's face it, I look way older."

"Naaaaah, you look like you're in your early thirties."

Bethany chortled, looking nonplussed and pleased all at once.

"Oh, you're sweet to say that, honey. But it's true, mid-thirties, right here." Bethany replied, but her humour was reined in and her eyes swept across the desk before they lit up again. "Oh! That's right, the reason I was calling you over was because of a delivery. Gym Leader Roxanne dropped this off for you."

The nurse lifted a reinforced envelope into view, sliding it across the taller desk surface toward Shay. She took it, curiousity piqued.

"She said it was your gym winnings. You were being treated by the gym EMTs because of…well, I'm guessing one of your injuries, and she completely forgot about the winnings."

"Oh," Shay breathed, understanding flashing through her head. "Thank you, Bethany. Really. It was nice talking to you and for you giving this to me."

The other woman bobbed her head and waved her on. "Go on and get some rest, sweetie. You look like you need it. Take as long as you need, and if you need anything, just give us a ring. We can supply you and your pokémon with food and new linens and the like. If you need us to check up on you, just make sure to have a wake-up call set up too."

Shay thanked her again and went on her way, turning on her heel, belatedly remembering she had left Brendan to attend to her business at the desk. Only, she found she was no longer accompanied by the young man. He was nowhere to be seen.


The dim lighting was a welcome relief on the pressure building behind Shay's eyes and didn't aggravate the light ache at the back of her head and along her temples. As soon as everyone spilled out of their pokéballs, they shook themselves and stretched, taking up space across the floor around them. Luna's long body looked like it was being pulled out even more as she raised her rump in the air and sprawled her upper body across the ground, yawning widely. She nimbly leapt onto the bed as soon as she finished before anyone else.

Shay sat the take out bag full of food from the Kalosian restaurant for the team on the desk and began unpacking it. Immediately, the sound had the team cloistering around Shay's legs, pressing in close. She didn't mind and smiled at them. Ambrose hung back a little, leaning against the bedframe as he listened, head lowered so his chin rested on his chest.

"It smells good," Sela remarked hungrily, her maraschino-red eyes glittering in anticipation. Shay quickly popped the tops off each tub of food, and carefully sat them down, one by one. They were each marked, she noticed, by the type of food each of her team members would need for sufficient nutrients and diet. Sela's had been packed full of protein-rich meat, while in retrospect, Keno had a rich selection of fish, shrimp, and varying types of worms. All the food was packaged in dense little one-inch cubes, perfect for munching on, no matter how big or small the pokémon may be. All of it had a Kalosian twist to it, or so the waiter had claimed.

Faye fluttered to the back of the chair beside Shay. Shay paused, motioning to one tub of food, marked for a Taillow's balanced diet: a collective of seeds, meat, insects, and more.

"Ground or here on the desk?" she asked the Taillow. Faye eyed the tub for only a moment.

"Desk, if you please," Faye replied smoothly. Shay nodded, setting it aside and popping the top off. Faye hopped across and settled down, already pecking at her food with her sharp beak.

Shay dove back into the bag, pulling out another tub. This was marked for Ambrose, and she glanced at the little Ralts. Even though he ate at the restaurant, they had packed up more for him to enjoy later. He shook his head, the unasked question hanging between them. He waved a paw at her.

"I'm good for now, but thank you," he answered her unspoken inquiry. Shay tucked that into the mini-fridge that was standard with the room and tugged one last package out: a small pink box tied neatly with a ribbon, containing a number of Shalour Sables—a specialty recipe of shortbread straight from the Kalos region. Shay shook it and heard the contents shuffle around within.

"If you guys are still hungry after eating, there's some of this, too."

She got several murmurs of thanks from the cluster of pokémon. Shay reached in for the last item within the bag: a bottle of the sweetest white wine from the restaurant. It was the one thing Brendan hadn't paid for all night; Shay managed to snag it on their way out. It was an especially popular brand in Kalos, the hostess at the front podium had assured her. She tucked that away into the mini-fridge. White wine always tasted better when it was chilled.

She sighed, folding up the bag, and began stepping away from the desk, and nearly kicked Breela in the process. Shay startled with a yelp, immediately lifting her foot away from the little Shroomish before she could. Breela shivered violently and plopped down on the ground in an attempt to curl in on herself.

"Shit—Breela, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!"

Breela trembled and waited before uttering a tiny voice, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get underfoot."

Shay crouched and picked her up, tucking the Shroomish into the crook of her arm, then picked up the dish she had been nibbling at.

"Don't apologize. I didn't realize I put your food so close to me. It's my bad."

Luna had abandoned her spot on the bed in lieu of eating, but the spot where she had laid was still quite warm. Shay put Breela down on the bed, alongside with her food. Slowly, Shay began to strip off her boots and socks and bra and changed back into her more comfortable sweatpants. Ambrose, in the interim of all this, had hauled himself up onto the bed and sat beside Breela, one hand braced behind him, the other patting Breela gently on the side of her head. She froze at first contact, but eventually settled and tucked back into her meal.

Shay slowly collapsed onto the bed, closing her eyes, trying to recall when she had last taken a painkiller, and wondered if it was worth getting up to take one right now. Another body joined the gathering on the bed. Judging by the heavy purrs and warm body plopping against Shay's side, she hazarded a guess it was Luna. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, feeling the edges of her thoughts fraying comfortably. The others murmured softly to one another between bites of food, carrying on conversation she only caught snippets of. Their voices were too low and quiet for Shay to understand.

The soft lights dimmed out completely. Shay sensed it behind the lids of her eyes, and when she opened them, it was dark in the room. The others had slowly, one-by-one, come to join her on the bed. Keno was the last, crawling into place beside Shay slowly but surely. He pulled a pillow over to her and she gratefully took it, tucking it under her head.

"Thanks," she mumbled, closing her eyes again. "Let's get some rest."

"Are we doing anything tomorrow?"

The inquiry came from Sela, but Shay sensed that the others were just as keen to know the answer to that. Shay hummed softly as she tried to recall her schedule. Then she gave a half-hearted nod against the pillow.

"Check-up for me at the hospital. After that, we'll head out to Dewford." Shay paused, peeping an eye open. She could make out the outlines of the others. Luna was still pressed to Shay's belly, purring away. No doubt she'd leave Shay's side later in the night, to pad around the room when she grew tired of her sleeping spot. Breela was tucked away beside Sela and Ambrose alike, still as ever. She usually grew tired after eating and needed the time to digest before doing anything else. Keno's head was close to Shay's, sprawled parallel to the edge of the bed. She could just barely feel his head fin brushing against the side of her head. Faye nestled close to the Marshtomp, nesting down for the night. Shay blinked a few times, yawning.

"Hey, Ambrose?"

"Hmm?"

"Think you can get us to those docks just south of Petalburg Woods?"

Ambrose's head tilted her way. "Of course." A pause. "I assume you have a reason."

She didn't feel the familiar itch-tickle-scratch that accompanied his light mental prodding. Or she thought she didn't, anyways.

"I think Mister Briney lives out that way. I'd like to check up on him and Peeko." She swallowed and cleared her throat. "He also might know someone out there that might be willing to take us out to Dewford."

There was a series of murmurs and hums of approval. Ambrose largely remained quiet, but Shay could sense the amusement roiling off of the little Ralts, even as she slowly felt herself drifting off into a more restful sleep.


The pain that beat at the spaces in her head was more bearable the next day. Not by any large leaps or bounds, but enough to make a difference, enough to drive away a fraction of the misery she'd been dealing with for the last few days. Ambrose insisted that he use Teleport to get them to the hospital after breakfast.

"It'll be faster and cheaper than waiting for a cab," he pointed out when Shay began to argue. She clacked her mouth shut with a heavy sigh and a groan, not taking that long to recognize that he was right.

She felt more of her appetite returning and managed to get more into her stomach. She downed the rest of her coffee in a hurry when she realized that she still had several things to do before they left Rustboro. Dumping her cash winnings into her bank account (courtesy and thanks to Professor Birch and Norman both for helping pull strings in that regard) was high on her list, since she didn't want to go around carrying huge wads of cash. She also felt the need to get in touch with Brendan (she had no idea what room he was in, yet he knew her room). She still had her medical appointment to follow-up on, as well as a mandatory check-up call with both Norman and Professor Birch…

"Don't forget re-upping our supplies before we hit the road," Ambrose quipped out of the blue as they marched across the lobby. Shay gave her surroundings a cursory glance, shivering at the familiar creeping feeling of Ambrose's presence in her head. It wasn't intrusive, by any means; he was merely passing over her surface thoughts. She was getting better at recognizing his presence. Keno gave her a curious look, his steps faltering as he ping-ponged his gaze between her and Ambrose. He huffed quietly.

"Ambrose, you shouldn't be digging into people's heads." Keno scolded, trotting after Shay. Luna and Sela slunk about side by side, darting along with all the grace of forest creatures. Breela was, predictably, tucked in her pokéball per her request, whilst Faye took up residence on Shay's shoulder. She kept her head on a swivel, keeping her eyes sharp and ears pricked at the slightest disturbance that sounded off to her.

"It's fine, Keno," Shay chided gently, and the Marshtomp frowned up at her.

"But you don't like it, do you?"

"It's fine," Shay asserted, this time more firmly, and he reluctantly let the issue drop.

I don't like it, but it's not like I can stop you from eavesdropping on my thoughts, she added quietly, and she felt the gentle itch-shiver-scratch retreat, leaving a trail of faint mirth as it did. Shay stepped through the front doors of the lobby, exiting the Pokémon Center. She shifted her sling-pack more comfortably around her shoulder, wincing as her bruises and aching muscles twitched in protest.

Thank goodness for muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, and ice packs. She had that to look forward to later at the next Pokémon Center in Dewford when everything was all said and done, when her errands were complete, when she got her pack in full, checked out and left.

True to Ambrose's word, as soon as they hit the street, he used Teleport and took them straight to the hospital entrance halfway across the city. A few people jumped in surprise at the sudden appearance of Shay and her team, whilst others simply continued on their business. Ambrose wobbled on his feet, reaching out to grab Shay's leg for support. She dipped down to help hold him up. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Luna and Sela take up positions, as though in silent agreement to keep a look out. Faye ruffled her feathers and muttered how she felt tingly all over in Shay's ear, while Keno pressed in close, asking if Ambrose was all right. Breela shivered and tried burrowing deeper into Shay's side.

Ambrose offered a tired smile up at her. "Probably shouldn't have tried to Teleport all of us, honestly. But what's the point in pushing my limits if I play it safe?"

"I'm going to have to put you in your pokéball anyway. The hospital doesn't like pokémon running around underfoot."

There was a murmur of dissent from the team in response to that, and Shay sighed, silently agreeing with all of it and more. She could understand and somewhat agree with the logic of larger pokémon not being welcome; they were cumbersome and awkward, even in the double-wide hallways of a hospital. But smaller pokémon?

Well, there are more mischievous pokémon out there that could cause more harm than good to people recovering…

The slew of implications and possibilities began to flash through her head, and she had to shake them all away. She was overthinking things again.

With an apology to her team, she slowly returned them one-by-one into their pokéballs. Keno was the last, dithering on the sidewalk beside her as she plucked his pokéball off her belt.

"Let us out when we're in the clear?"

"Of course I will," Shay smiled at him. "Sorry I've been out of it—"

Keno waved her apology away with a flap of his broad hands. "No, no, no! You don't need to apologize! You were hurt, you just need to get better." He hesitated, frowning as he dropped his tiger-orange gaze down. "I just wish you could get better like I can. With the machines they use at the center, I mean. So, you don't have to hurt so much."

He was so earnest that it made Shay's teeth ache. He was such a sweetheart and her stomach clenched into a hard, painful knot. She didn't want to lose him, or any of her team. Shay wanted to protect them as much as possible.

This world was nothing like the games, even if there were some similarities. Death wasn't glossed over or covered up. It was just like in her world; a force of nature that catches up to everyone sooner or later. Pokémon could get grievously injured or even die in battles. They didn't faint or pass out in a cutesy fashion and tiny wail.

She smiled at him tightly even as she swallowed back the imposing images that flashed through her mind.

"That's really sweet, Keno. But I'll be okay, so don't worry too much about me." She hefted his pokéball into view. "I'll let y'all out when I'm done. Promise."


Even though her errands took nearly half the morning, time hadn't slowed to a crawl like she'd been expecting. It moved along smartly, without preamble, and for that, Shay was grateful.

With her winnings deposited in the bank, her bill of health more or less checking out clean, she was ready to go. She'd cleared her room, cleaning up everything, and coaxed all she needed back into her pack before checking out of the Pokémon Center. She found herself standing at the front desk, a different nurse than Bethany manning it today, as she returned her card key and a thought struck her.

"Excuse me? Sorry, I don't mean to be a bother, but a friend of mine is here in the center, too. I don't remember what room he was in, though. Is there any way I could pop by and tell him I'm heading out before I leave? It's Brendan Birch."

The nurse gave her a reproachful look, eyes darting to the computer screen, before she sighed.

"Usually no, we don't give away other patrons' information—"

"I-I was working with him at Professor Birch's lab a little while ago. I forgot to ask for his room number, and I'm heading out, I just don't want to disappear without saying goodbye."

He was technically the only person she could come close to calling a friend in Rustboro. Or Hoenn, for that matter. And he had left the other night while she had been chatting with the nurse without so much as a goodnight or goodbye. She wanted to check on him, to make sure he was all right.

The nurse held up a hand, and Shay's protests died down. "I'll give his room a call and see if he's there. That's the best I can do."

So, Shay waited with her team forming a loose semi-circle around her at the desk, as the nurse dialed into a phone and brought the receiver to her ear. Shay jittered on her feet, trying to not look impatient. Roughly a minute passed before the nurse put down the receiver, shaking her head. "No answer. Sorry."

The nurse didn't look or sound sorry at all. Shay pursed her lips and gave a stiff thanks to the woman.

I tried, at the very least, she thought. She made a mental note to try and ask for his number from Professor Birch.

Turning to her team, she motioned for them to follow. Once they were outside, Shay recalled everyone back inside their pokéballs, all except for Ambrose. He tilted his head in her direction, offering her one of his toothy grins.

"Ready?"

She didn't know if she'd ever be ready. Teleporting was strange. It made her feel woozy and tingly all over, almost like she was on a rollercoaster. Everything felt weightless and airy at one moment, and the next, it was as though gravity was beginning to realize it needed to apply itself to her and came slamming down with a vengeance. Everything, except her stomach and lungs, seemed to have caught on that they were needed and came dropping with her. It was probably a very good thing that she didn't suffer from motion sickness.

Ambrose pattered her leg reassuringly.

"You'll be fine. You always are."

His paw remained on her pantleg and he crimped the material, inhaled—

—and with the exhale, the nosedive-on-a-rollercoaster feeling washed over Shay. It was brief, but her sinuses and headache seemed to float away from her, tingly and warm, and then the moment of clarity returned as light danced around her, bright and hot and intense. It was brief, but it was almost searing.

And then it was all over and everything was back to the way it was. Her legs wobbled, her vision spun, but it all came snapping back into place and the moment of vertigo was over before it got a chance to settle in.

The fresh air was filled with a tinge of brine, and it was a heady yet welcome scent.

Shay glanced up at the sky stretched wide and cloudless above them, tinted darker behind her sunglasses, as a flock of Wingull pinwheeled through the air on their slim, long wings and angled away toward the collection of docks and seaside shops and cottages gathered in clusters on the western-most coast of Hoenn. It was officially known as "Northern Petalburg", but those that have come to the little coastal getaway as the "Wailord Wharfs". They were, apparently, famous for their whale-watching tours that they offer, and during migration seasons especially, they were often packed with people who want a peek at the whale pokémon.

In the games, there had been no shops or homes besides Mister Briney's cottage by the sea. It had been an empty beachscape. The waters beyond shimmered and danced with silver flashes playing across the deep blue canvas, broken only by the occasional foamy froth of waves further out. A sizeable amount of people were gathered in broken throngs on the boardwalk, milling about outside or dipping in and out of shops.

Ambrose lightly tapped Shay's leg and she diverted her gaze to stare at the Ralts at her side.

Wordlessly, she understood the context of his quiet message and began releasing the others from their pokéballs. They each stretched and took in stock of their surroundings. Shay let them gather their bearings before moving out and motioning to one of the outmost shops: a seafood restaurant that sported a sizable pair of Kingler pinchers on a display rack over the entrance.

"Let me ask where Mister Briney might be, and then we can head out."

"Um, Shay—"

"Just give me a minute Keno, we'll be in and out."

"Wait!"

Shay stumbled, nearly colliding with the doorjamb as she turned to glance back at Keno. He gave a quick glance at the others before stepping forward toward her.

"We're actually getting kind of hungry, and we were wondering if you wouldn't mind taking a break so we can all eat."

He watched her with those stark, bright-orange eyes of his, unwavering as he held her gaze. Shay almost rebuked the request, before thinking better on it and checked the time on her x-transceiver. She was startled to see it was well past noon and it was inching its way well into the mid-afternoon.

She hadn't even noticed the passage of time, and hadn't really felt all that hungry, either. Reluctantly, she sighed and nodded, pushing the door open for the others to trail in.

"Let's grab something to eat before we head back out," she conceded.


Mister Briney's cottage was of course not in Wailord Wharf proper. It was just a mile or two north, sequestered away and hidden behind a curtain of sandy hills and seagrass, with a wharf of his own. It was well-maintained, as was the small ship moored at the docks. It was sleek and clean at a distance, but she didn't doubt it probably had seen its fair share of nautical miles slip past its hull over the years.

Shay wound up the trail that led to the front of the cottage, with the sun beating down on her from the west. It reminded her of home, back in California. The thought made her stomach clench and she had to suppress the sudden emotion that threatened to overwhelm her. She missed home.

She missed going to the beach, even if it was a rare occurrence. When she had been stationed on the east coast, she tried to enjoy the beach parties, but it never felt the same. The sun set in the west, as always but the ocean faced eastward, and it never felt right to her. It had been a perverse feeling, watching as the waters grew dark first as the sun overhead set in the west. It was a perversion of what she was used to.

She missed the mountains that cradled her home town. The mountains always felt safe to her. The forests, while a welcome break in monotony in the landscape didn't provide the same comfort. The trees loomed menacingly overhead, up close and personal, like some mythical beast leering down at her. Everywhere she traveled, every place she went to, it always felt alien and wrong.

She found it strangely comforting that Hoenn provided a sense of consolation since she's been here. It didn't feel quite like home, but it was a close enough proximation that she didn't feel uncomfortable being alone.

The thought brought some comfort to her as she pushed her way to the front door of Mister Briney's cottage. The wood was weathered and stained from years of getting treated by the salty location, but stood firm and straight, it's wooden bits meeting the other neatly. It was a two-story compound, with a series of fishing nets hung to dry over the cottage's front, while a shed stood on a concrete slab between the cottage and the docks, perhaps filled with equipment and tools. The wind whipped across the exposed openness of the area, bringing in another mouthful of salt-tinged air along with it. That feeling of home and comfort came rushing in again, settling into Shay. She heard footsteps bustling around in the front of the cottage, along with squeaking, delighted cries.

Shay rapped he knuckles against the hardwood door, and the noises within stifled briefly, before starting anew. Without preamble, the door flung open and Mister Briney stood in its stead, staring over Shay's head at first, before alighting upon her with mirth and surprise.

"Oh, lass! What a surprise!"

He donned a woolen sweater, and a pair of faded corduroy trousers with simple boots tying it all together. Peeko the Wingull sat upon his shoulder, looking unruffled despite the events that had occurred several days past. Recognition gleamed in the white bird's eyes and she squeaked in delight, her feathers ruffling up in delight as she clacked her beak in Mister Briney's ear.

"It's that girl who helped me! She found us!"

"Settle down, Peeko, settle down!" The older gent laughed, a sound that came from deep down in one's belly and bubbled up out of another's mouth. It brought a faint smile to Shay's lips as relief washed over her. Peeko was all right and back home where she belonged. Mister Briney wasn't a fretful mess. Things were okay and it resonated with her in such a deep way that it surprised her.

A pang hit her in that moment of realization. The games had always been about hitting the next checkpoint in the story, to get to the next gym, the next battle, and the ultimate prize of the Pokémon League.

But actually being here, in the shoes of what had once been just a character of pixels and digital algorithms…

Mister Briney interrupted before the thoughts could bloom fully in her. He began waving a thick, callused hand at the young woman and her team.

"Come in, come in! It's still dreadfully hot out."

Mister Briney shuffled off to the side, offering the entry to his home clear. Shay dithered, giving a brief look over her team. Keno offered an encouraging, gummy smile at her and gave her arm a little pat. Heartening. Supportive. All those little nuances that could be summed in words, but were better left unsaid. His tiger-orange eyes flashed with mirth as they crinkled, ever so slightly, while he looked up at her with all the adoration that he could muster.

Keno trusted her, unconditionally.

A part of her was terrified at the prospect. It was the gaze of a starry-eyed fan who could see no wrong from their idol, their leader. She was anything but, and she was fallible, flawed. The thought that she'd screw up, sooner or later, terrified her to the core, and the idea of her plans screwing up so monumentally that it would cost him—or any of her fire-forged team members—anything anywhere between a limb or even their lives made her stomach churn.

All of that came crashing down on her head, right at the threshold of Mister Briney's household, and it took every inch of self-control she had to force it back down, even as it made her nauseous. She smiled through it all, as she turned away and averted her attentions to Mister Briney and Peeko and—

—Christ almighty, I could have gotten her killed with my stupid fucking harebrained plan, she could be dead because of me—

—Mister Briney was talking to her, but half of whatever he had said was lost, scattered to the winds, but Shay managed to gather the last half of what he was saying, and pieced together the initial intentions.

"—glad to see you're alright, lass. I worried for you, you know. I'm sorry I didn't check in on things, after Peeko, I meant, but by the time I turned around to do so, you were gone. The nice nurse told me you had gone to the hospital, and those blowhard wouldn't give me the time of day on your status."

They were in the living room of Mister Briney's cottage. She was sitting down, for which Shay was grateful for. If she had bene standing, she didn't trust herself to keep a steady footing. The room was anything but sparse. The couch was old but well-worn and loved, a buttery soft leather one that she occupied, while Mister Briney sat in an armchair with Peeko taking residence on his shoulder. The coffee table was equally as worn as the rest of the furniture, but polished and clean. A cabinet filled with curios behind the glass doors sat against the wall, and at the top of it, a small anchor sat. Across the way, smartly hanging on the wall beside the cabinet was a modest flat screen television.

Shay's team was scattered around the floorspace, taking advantage of the floorplan to sprawl. Keno and Ambrose alike remained by her side on the couch, casting her occasional glances welled up with well-concealed but meaningfully concerned glances every now and again. Peeko remained perched on Mister Briney's shoulder, and the old codger was bustling about, ducking in and out of the living room and into what Shay assumed was the kitchen.

He came out shortly after, bearing a polished tray with mugs brimming with steam. He took one for himself and offered the other.

"Coffee, with cream and a touch of sugar like you requested," he offered, and Lupin stared down blankly, swallowing and feeling her throat ache with dryness, scratchy and uncomfortable. She inhaled deeply and was satisfied by the sharp scent of coffee, tinged lightly with the mild smell of cream punctuating the air. She took a tentative sip and found the bitterness tinted with sugar a soothing taste on her tongue. It wasn't like the flavoured creams she preferred, but in a pinch, Shay wasn't opposed to plain sugar and cream—or even milk as a substitute—if it came down to it.

She was used to sacrificing commodities for substitutes. She's been dealing with such things for almost a decade now.

Mister Briney—and Peeko as well—rattled on for a brief while, and Shay tuned in more attentively as he beguiled her for a time. The Wingull would add things in that Mister Briney failed or forgot to mention, and it made for a hilarious storytelling, although at times the older gent would stare at her as though she wasn't quite sound, or his words weren't meant to be humorous at all.

Still, he carried on and it was a respite that Shay wasn't opposed to. She didn't tune out, much as she had previously been tempted to. When both Mister Briney and Peeko fell quiet, it wasn't uncomfortable or awkward. It was actually relaxed and natural. Her team had remained passive, listening to their hosts for a time, offering their own commentary every now and again. Shay had listened to it all, trying to remain equally attentive to all When the quiet fell upon them, they too seemed comfortable rather than awkwardly lapsing into silence. It lasted for only so long.

"I have to ask, lass…how did you find me? I don't recall offering my personal information."

Shay felt her choke on her swallow of coffee as the cup was to her lips and managed to recover quickly enough.

"I—I asked around. You aren't exactly unknown to the staff at Rustboro's Pokémon Center. And I asked around the wharf down a ways, and they said I could find you here," she settled for. Mister Briney chuckled, dropping his gaze and Shay felt some amount of relief lapping at her frayed nerves.

"Aye, I suppose that is true. I'm known in both Petalburg and Rustboro and Wailord's Wharf. Not that hard to ask around after me." Mister Briney leaned back into his armchair with a heavy and deep sigh. Shay leaned forward, with Keno right alongside her. She noticed, from the corner of her eye, the others were tuning in more attentively now as well, slowly but surely, in their own ways.

"I…I did want to make sure that you and Peeko were all right," Shay continued slowly, running her teeth along the curve of her teeth, hesitating, before adding, "And I was told if I needed to get to Dewford, you might be the person to ask."

Mister Briney sobered, leaning forward in his seat, no longer dewy-eyed and distant. Peeko fluttered her feathers and preened them, and gently nibbled at some stray locks of hair on the side of her trainer's head. The grizzled sailor looked Shay up and down, grim-faced and serious.

"Did they know?" he remarked evenly, watching the young woman across from him. Shay swallowed past the thick lump in her throat, dry and scratchy once again by the sudden nervousness ringing inside her. She held the older man's gaze, refusing to break it, and held it with as much steel as she could muster. As much as she wanted to crumble inwardly, she knew how to play the game: if she flinched, she lost This was a game she's played many times in the past, and often enough, it was a game that was either borne of seriousness or humour. Sadly, she could never tell as easily as others could, and felt it safer to retain a semblance of gravity first before anything else.

For a while, Mister Briney's gaze remained steely and solid, unwavering. It lasted for nearly a minute without any further context. Peeko broke it apart with her casual ministrations of preening and soft coos. Finally, after both an eternity and only a few moments, Mister Briney's face split into a kindly smile, his eyes sparkling with mirth. Peeko fluttered her wings and echoed her own thanks to Shay from her trainer's shoulder.

"Aye, I can help with that. Ye did do me a service in rescuing my precious Peeko here from that bastard." Mister Briney took pause to sip from his cup, eyes sliding closed as he did so. When he finished, he sat the cup down on the polished coffee table between them. "Have they caught any wind of this Team Aqua fellow an' his ilk?"

Shay shook her head. "I haven't heard anything, other than their grudging acknowledgement that I wasn't the perp."

The older man snorted gruffly, his bushy brows beetling together into a rough scowl. "I have no idea what those idiots at that department were thinking. An' that bloody nurse calling them in on ye in the first place!"

Shay uttered a quiet laugh, trying and failing to keep her smile back. "I'm mad but at the same time, I'm not. I kind of understand."

"Understandin' or not, her job was to take care of Peeko, not to skulk away as soon as trouble comes knocking. Trainers come in with hurt pokémon all the time. Does she call the police on all of them when a pokémon gets so much as a conk on the head or a thorn in their paw? Ach! Utterly ridiculous!"

Sela snorted softly and offered a wolfish grin as she spied Shay from the corner of her eye. "I like him. He's not afraid to speak up on matters."

Keno mumbled something to the Poochyena before turning his bright gaze on Shay, a faint frown tugging at his lips. Shay found her smile broadening in spite of herself.

"I can get behind that thought process, too. I'm just glad one of the other nurses spoke up for me."

"Oh? I must have missed that part."

"Her name's Bethany. She actually called the ambulance for me after you went to check on Peeko."

"Glad t' hear someone had their head rightly about their shoulders." Mister Briney concluded with a curt nod. "I'll be sure t' pass my thanks on next time I'm in Rustboro."

Shay swallowed down her next comment on how that wasn't necessary and took a long draft of her drink instead. The bitter tang of the coffee stung her tongue in a pleasant and familiar manner. Small talk pass along after that. Mister Briney talked of his younger days, sailing on the sea across different regions, including one Shay had never heard of: Galar.

"It's actually where I'm from, originally. Oh, the pokémon they had there. There's actually a gruff little turtle that has the nastiest bite you'd ever see! Drednaw, it's called." Mister Briney chortled. Sela snorted softly where she sat, tail thumping against the floor.

"I'll show that thing a bite it's never seen before," she muttered softly, to which Luna gave her a pointed stare.

"I'm sure you would," Luna replied, eyes half-lidding and tail flicking in sharp arcs. Sela peeled her black lips back in a quiet growl. Peeko squawked at the two and pointedly clacked her beak sharply. Luna uttered a soft growl, while Sela fell quiet with her eyes narrowing. Ambrose chuckled on the seat beside Shay and Keno.

By the time they finished their drinks, the day was nearly spent. Threads of red-gold light bled into the sea as the sun began to dip along the edges of the water. Mister Briney stood and stretched while Peeko fluttered on his shoulder, thin wings beating against the air until he settled.

"Ach. It's gettin' late an' if we want t' get t' Dewford soon, we should head out." Mister Briney announced.

"It's definitely getting late! We'll be hitting those shores after dark!" Peeko added enthusiastically. Luna rolled to her paws and stretched her back into a curving arch, while Faye took to her wings and settled on Shay's shoulder, mirroring Peeko in a sense. Everyone else slowly clambered to their collective paws as Mister Briney collected their mugs and took them to the kitchen. When he returned, he motioned to the front door and opened it for Shay and her team.

"Right. Come along, then! We'd best be off if we're to make it to Dewford any time soon!"

Without further preface, he led the way to the wharf, where his vessel, the Seafarer, sat. While Shay and her team boarded the ship—with Mister Briney's permission—he quickly got things underway. Before long, the ship was pulling away and cutting an arc across the waters, sending up a spray behind it in a churning foam-trail as they left the shores of Hoenn proper behind.


Additional Notes: Absolutely true about my birth. Breech baby C-section, opioid allergies, embarrassing toddler conversations. I am an absolute fucking joy.

On another note, I'm happy to make mention of the Galar region, however small a dedication shout-out it might be. On another and separate note completely, I've added more art and WIP pieces on the blue-skiesand-silverlinings blog! The team lineup is slowly coming together, and I hope you'll stop by to check it out! As always, the ask box is open to any inquiries—both for the characters, the world, and beyond!