Tyler and Jewel: *riding on a lawnmower, mowing the grass*
Tyler: *notices the readers and gives a wave*
Jewel: *looks over and gives an excited wave*
Tyler: *turns off the lawnmower* Ahh, that's much better. Hello, everyone! We're back with another chapter of Roadtrip. So what'd you guys think about the last one? Hope you all enjoyed it, I had a nice time writing it!
Jewel: *pouts* I hate caves!
Tyler: *chuckles* Hah, can honestly say the same. Plus, I think I left too little screentime- or rather readtime, for Ava and Epsilon. That'll all change soon!
Tyler: Well, there's not much more to be said here, just stay safe and stay hydrated everyone. Now let's get to it!
Tyler: *starts lawnmower up again, continues mowing*
Noir and Ava: *watches from a distance*
Ava: And he finds this activity 'fun'? I don't understand.
Noir: Don't ask me, I know as much as you do.
Cisdlaimer: I'm running out of ideas for these.
The sun was, for lack of a better word, showering Sunyshore City in a torrential downpour of photons. Thankfully, Sunyshore was far enough from the central area of Sinnoh that the humidity wasn't nearly as bad as cities like Pastoria.
From the heat distorted horizon, a black Mercedes rolled into view. The long, luxurious sedan rolled off onto a light gravel road, turning away from Sunyshore and began approaching a location nearby. Passing by hot rocks and areas of sparse vegetation, it truly looked out of place.
Arriving at the dig site, Vince nimbly parked his car before he and his party stepped out into the hot sun. He had prepared for the weather by donning a polo shirt and some shorts along with a satchel, preferring not to be cooked alive in a dark business suit. Not to be outclassed (or burnt to a crisp), Tesla and Daisy each donned their own preferred article of protective clothing with the Arbok wearing a comically large sun hat and the small Electrike wearing the cutest pair of shades known to man. Oli meanwhile seemed to have no issue with the sun.
"Phew, never can escape the heat huh?" Vince commented with a chuckle. Daisy had a slight grimace on her face as she slithered alongside, with Tesla and Oli tagging along behind them.
"I'm tirrrrred." She groaned lazily. At this, Tesla ran up alongside the grumpy Arbok and gave her a light nudge.
"Don't be, let's go! Let's go!" The small Electric type urged, running ahead in front of Vince and the others. The seasoned archaeologist merely laughed and chased after him. Daisy turned to Oli who looked at her with a shrug.
Back at the front, Vince slowed his pace and began looking around the excavation site. Procuring a logbook from his satchel, he began jotting down the visual information around the site as he walked. In the distance, he spotted his contact: a middle-aged man who he has known for quite a while by the name of Will.
"Heh hey, good to see you Vince! Woah and who might you be?" Will greeted before being interrupted by the arrival of Tesla by his feet. Giving the Electrike a pet which he accepted happily, the older man gave Vince a good handshake.
"Likewise, Will. Before we move forward, mind giving me a quick report on your progress around here?" Vince greeted with a smile and nod as Daisy and Oli caught up. Will responded with an affirmative grunt and nod.
"Of course. First things first, the dig site ended up exceeding the allocation by a bit. We had a small landslide over by the north east corner, sector H1. Nothing major." Will explained as the two began walking around the dig site, pointing out the pile of earth in the far corner. Vince jotted it down swiftly before returning his attention.
"The layers here match up with the soil tap we did a few miles away. Found a couple of fossils and that's about it for this part. Well, aside from the main thing we excavated, haha." Will concluded with a good chuckle. Vince wrote down a few more lines before closing his book.
"Noted and noted. Now, let's take a look at what you found." Vince suggested excitedly. In a quickened pace, Will led Vince and his team through the site and towards a large tent that was set up. Giving a quick wave to the other members of the excavation team, Vince followed Will to a table.
Atop the table was a strange stone slab. What stood out the most about this stone slab was the colour, a subdued red which could be much brighter when it was new. The condition of the plate was also surprisingly good, with only a few small nicks and chunks missing.
As he got closer to the plate, Vince finally got a better look at it. He noticed the pattern and symbol engraved to the plate, studying it closely. Grabbing a pair of latex gloves, Vince held the plate carefully and examined it closely, occasionally muttering short comments under his breath. Will coughed lightly to get his attention.
"So, this is it. Have any idea what it is, bud?" Will inquired curiously. After a few moments, Vince took the gloves off and tossed them aside before giving him an intrigued shrug.
"Have no idea myself, first time I've seen it. Quick question, was it already in this condition when you found it? No accidental damage or anything?" Vince asked slightly sternly. He was not one to take accidental damage of an artifact lightly. Will simply chuckled.
"C'mon, you know I'm no klutz. Dug it up myself, no damage." He casually replied as he lit up a cigarette and took a puff. Vince nodded with a sigh.
"Right right. We should probably get this back to Oreburgh to do a proper carbon dating and inspection. We might be dealing with something very interesting here." Vince commented before carefully placing the plate in a large Ziploc bag and setting it aside.
"Proper idea that is. Have any ideas or any guesses what it might be?" Will inquired as the two men stepped out of the tent and into the open air. Vince grasped his chin as he stared at the blue sky above.
"Don't really know, honestly. I mean, it definitely has something to do with fire because of the colour and the symbol. Other than that? Nada." He answered truthfully before snapping his fingers.
"Ah right! How's the actual fossil recovery going?" He inquired, completely forgetting about why he asked Will and his team to Sunyshore in first place. Will chuckled heartily.
"Why, I thought you'd never ask. Let me show you what we uncovered." Will gestured as the two men descended further into the digsite. Vince stopped and took in the sights around him. It had been a while since he did some fieldwork and he was pretty excited.
As the two men shuffled along down the path, a rustling of bushes emanated from the treeline. In a dense bit of foliage, a pair of binoculars emerged ever so slightly as the gray jumpsuit rubbed along the leaves again.
…
In the restaurant of a busy hotel in Hearthome City, the group sat down for breakfast. Earlier that morning, Cynthia and Lucas reluctantly had to bid farewell yet again to attend to some Champion and Team Galactic related matters, not to mention avoid attracting excess attention to the group.
The wide open dining area was adorned with large windows on one side. On the other hung numerous paintings, photos and illustrations of many landmarks and favorites of Hearthome, such as Super Contests and idyllic scenes in Amity Square. The fragrant aroma of freshly roasted coffee, enticing sizzling of bacon and bubbling of warm chowder and soup were just what a weary traveler or excited tourist would like on their first day of being in the city.
"Boy, that's good." Josh commented, setting down his mug of hot coffee. Beside him, Ruby simply nodded as she gorged herself on a bowl of berry salad, keen on keeping a 'healthy' lifestyle even if her bowl was mostly whipped cream.
"Hot damn, this is great." Epsilon buzzed as he sampled more of his meat platter, relieved that he's finally out of his Pokeball once more. He and Ava were shocked when they learned about Tyler and the other's plight at Solaceon, both of them suggesting to stay outside of their balls as much as possible.
"Where. Tyler?" Rocco inquired plainly, not noticing or caring about the stain on his helmet. Noir offered to wipe it off before answering.
"I think he may still be asleep. The encounter with the Gengar must've taken a massive toll on his energy." Noir presumed before taking a bite from her ham. Jewel turned and nodded with spaghetti sauce on her face.
"That's right! While he was asleep last night, I could detect his tiredness without any like, interference from the negative energy. Good thing is that I felt him get better this morning, yay!" Jewel exclaimed with a smile.
Lo and behold from an elevator in a nearby hallway, a groggy mess better known as Tyler emerged. Wearing a lightly ruffled maroon T-shirt and creased shorts, he looked like he was perfectly ready for anything the day would throw at him, so long as it didn't involve a lot of effort, like battling. Or walking. Or pretty much anything.
Still half asleep, he made his way over to the restaurant.
After receiving a curious look from the waitress checking him in, he looked around before spotting the group's table with half-lidden eyes. Sauntering over to the table, he gave everyone a tired wave.
"Hey uhm… hey everyone." Tyler muttered with a yawn before stretching out wide. After popping a few joints, he promptly sat down with a nice boost of energy.
"Tyler, can I be honest? You look like death." Josh muttered with a tiny chuckle, taking another bite from his cream puff. Tyler finished his stretching before giving him a deadpanned look.
"I do feel like death, thank you very much. I should probably get something in me, I'll be right back." Tyler informed before leaving to get some breakfast.
"So um, do we have any plans for today? I don't really want to spend uh the whole day at the hotel." Autumn asked. The Fire type wanted to explore Hearthome but was concerned if Tyler would have the strength to do so.
The group spent a few moments pondering over their options.
"How about challenging the Gym? I heard they fight in the dark here and I wanna try that out!" Jewel suggested. She was met with a number of head shakes.
"No, I think we should do something less intensive. Tyler doesn't seem to be in proper shape to battle." Epsilon explained. He knew that even if the Pokemon themselves do the heavy lifting, the Trainers also have to be in peak performance to issue commands properly.
"Yeah, you're right. Maybe we should see a contest or take a visit to Amity Square? Or even swing by the cathedral?" Josh suggested. As the group continued to ponder, Tyler arrived with a nice serving of sliced ham, toast and eggs. With a side of coffee, of course.
"So, I'm thinking of taking on the Gym today. Should be fun." Tyler proposed, taking a sip of his coffee. Everyone gave him surprised look as he looked around in concern, cup of coffee still in hand. It was then he remembered something and reached into his pocket, procuring a small bell.
"Ah right, got this from a nice old lady this morning. Dunno why, probably because I held the elevator door for her." Tyler commented as he shook the bell lightly, a nice jingle emanating from the trinket. Josh asked to look at and gave a pleased response.
"This here's a Shell Bell. If I remember correctly, it helps a Pokemon recover faster during battle because of the calming jingle or so they say." Josh confirmed as he handed it back to Tyler.
"Should be pretty useful. Now then, who-" Tyler was about to finish before he noticed Rocco staring curiously at it. Tyler smiled lightly and gestured at him to come closer. Rocco looked around before shuffling over.
"Yes. Tyler?" Rocco asked in a rather confused tone. Tyler simply tied the bell around his neck and gestured for him to shake it around. Rocco complied, enjoying the light jingling as Tyler watched with a smile. Rocco began to paw at his bell curiously.
"Ohmygosh, that's so cute!" Jewel commented sweetly. A rouse of laughter arose from the group.
…
Right outside Canalave hospital, a white BMW pulled up quickly and slid into an empty spot with a squeal. Samuel practically hopped out of his car and jogged over to the entrance with Helios hot on his heels. He almost forgot to lock his car in his haste.
"Hello sir, how can I help you today?" The receptionist asked with concerned smile, wondering why Samuel was in a rush.
"Ah hey. Fuck uh, may I ask where Eddie Tanzo's room is?" Samuel inquired, tapping his fingers nervously on the counter. The receptionist nodded and checked her computer.
"Sure, his room is 433. Your names, please?" She asked, ready to check Samuel and Helios in.
"Samuel Tanzo and Helios." He answered with a quick nod as he made his way into the elevator. Samuel practically punched the fourth floor button as the doors shut close. The elevator began to move upwards slowly.
The short elevator ride was silent. Helios noticed Samuel hung his head low, as he was exhausted. He drove practically non-stop for almost a whole day to reach Canalave in time, a monumental feat as it would normally take two to three full days of travel at normal pace and speed.
Helios had never seen this side of Samuel before. For a long time, he knew his trainer as an avid procrastinator and all around jokester. It was certainly strange seeing him do his hardest and being all serious, which he couldn't blame him for.
The elevator door dinged and slid open, revealing a long hallway that stretched from end to end. White floors and white walls, a sight Samuel hated when he was young. Silently, the pair made their way to the room.
429…430…431…432…
There it was, room 433. Samuel stood in front of the door and took a deep breath. He was nervous. Very nervous.
"Hey man, it'll be alright." Helios assured with a nudge. Samuel exhaled and reached down, rubbing the top of the Houndoom's head.
"God, hope he's fucking okay." Samuel muttered before grabbing the handle and walking into the room silently. He was immediately greeted by a cool breeze and a slight citrus fragrance.
In the cool and dimly lit room, a medical bed was propped near the window with a TV straight across it. Samuel hastily approached the bed before realizing his dad was asleep, prompting him to slow his pace. Helios trotter beside him slowly.
By the foot of his bed hung a clipboard with a sheet of paper attached to it. Samuel grabbed it carefully as to not make any noise and began reading it over. It was mostly filled with medical jargon that he didn't understand, aside from one part.
[DIAGNOSIS]
- Pancreatic Cancer, Stage IIB
Samuel felt his rage building, angry that Vince didn't fully disclose the severity of his father's condition. Then he felt Helios rub against him and exhaled, thankful that he had his trusty partner beside him. Helios propped himself up and began reading the clipboard as well.
"O-oh. Oh my Lord." Helios gasped quietly as to not wake Eddie up. Samuel read a bit more from the clipboard before placing it back on the bed. With a sigh, he went over and sat down onto the armchair by his father's bedside.
A few quiet minutes pass, the only audible noise coming from the busy hospital. Samuel began tapping his feet lightly, a tic he formed under stress. On a few occasions, this caused him to lose a race or almost get himself in an accident. Of course, his father was less than pleased about it.
And yet here he was, lying weakly in bed as Samuel tapped away. A moment of fidgeting later, Samuel gathered his courage and exhaled.
"Dad…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for storming off when mom passed. I'm sorry for sneaking out late. I'm sorry for the fighting, the arguing. I was wrong. You were right. I should've never left you behind." Samuel blurted with tears in his eyes. Helios placed a paw on his lap, trying to comfort him.
"I should've stayed with you at the library, not to chase some fucking gas-fueled pipe dream. Almost lost my pink slip twice like a fucking moron. Had to make many favors to dig myself out and I barely had anything left to my name." He grunted with gritted teeth and wiping his eyes.
After some more silent moments, Samuel shook his head and began to stand up. Before he did however, he felt a hand grab onto him. Turning around he saw his dad's, weary frame prop himself up in bed.
"Sam, you never cried around anyone. And here you are, crying in front of your dad no less." Eddie joked with a weak smile. Samuel was angry for a moment before hugging his dad closely.
"Fuck you, dad." Samuel replied with a slight smile, keeping his hug.
"Oh, Eddie! I was worried that you wouldn't wake up." Helios yipped in relief, practically turning into an oversized Houndour again as he propped himself on Eddie's bed. The old man chuckled weakly as he petted the Fire and Dark type.
"It's gonna take a lot more… *cough*… take me down. Now, Samuel. I want you to listen closely, alright?" Eddie said with a strained tone. Samuel nodded as he gently let his father lie down slowly.
"You may have done many wrongs, my boy. But that's exactly it, you're still my boy. And I… I can't stay mad at you forever. See when you left, I had a thought at the back of my head. Maybe, maybe you'll never come back and never continue my line of work. Glad to see I was wrong about the first part but… You know, I've decided." Eddie admitted. Samuel waited expectantly for him to continue.
Eddie simply replied by letting his arm go.
"You should go, go live your life." Eddie said. Samuel simply looked at him dumbfounded.
"What? But, the library. Who-"
"Never mind the library. That's exactly what was wrong with me. I wanted you to follow my footsteps even though you deserve to carve your own path. I'll find someone to replace me." Eddie spoke before turning his attention to Helios.
"And you, 'Lios. Take good care of him, will you?" Eddie joked with a smile, rubbing the Houndoom's head lovingly. Helios looked at him with a determined nod and a smile of his own.
And with that, the duo bid their warmest farewells to Eddie, leaving him be. As he slid down on his bed, he stared up to the sky and closed his eyes.
That's all for this chapter! Bit of a unique one, huh? Three main parts and three perspectives in three different time zones. Let me know how you think about this format. Are you a fan of split perspectives? Let me know by dropping a review!
Speaking of reviews, time for me to address one that popped up as I was writing this.
To Zale1288: Hi there Zale, glad to see you enjoy it! Yes, I am aware about how flavor preferences affect the nature each Pokemon has. However, I decided against implementing the system simply because it would get pretty confusing (for me, my brain no work so good) pretty quickly! I just decided to pick foods that I think would typically suit each Pokemon. Also, yes I have heard of DataDex and in fact, I use it myself! Thanks for the review!
With that outta the way, I'll see you all later. Stay safe, stay hydrated and stand with Ukraine!
Noir: "Oh heavens, I'm glad that horrible racket has finally stopped."
Ava: "I think they ran into the fence."
Noir: "Unsurprising…"