Chapter 8: Strangers on a Ship
The sun was shining brilliantly on a brand-new day as a ship neared Zephyr Island, it's rusty metal hull cutting through the waves as a trail of thick smoke billowed from its battered stack and following behind like a cape.
Up in the ship's crow's nest a Pichu wearing a blue bandana stood atop its rim while holding up an old, bronze spyglass and peering through it. His curious eye took in the sight of the ship's destination, magnified to the point where he could even make out the port town they were destined to dock at. That was, until a white-feathered head and a bright yellow beak suddenly obscured this view, screeching and squawking aggressively at him.
"AUGH!" the Pichu squealed in shock, falling back into the basket of the crow's nest as a trio of seagulls squawked and thrashed their wings above him. "No, NO! G-get away from meeee!" he squeaked in fear as he shut his eyes and shielded his face with his stubby little paws. He flailed about and shook his head as they tried to peck and bat him with their pointy beaks and wings. He was already getting covered in small cuts and bruises as the ornery birds assaulted him. "Cut it OUT!" he yelled, throwing his paws up as he unleashed a Thundershock attack. The Pichu was enveloped in a bright, electric-yellow aura along with the three seagulls hovering around him. A few seconds later, the birds had turned a charred black and ceased flight, each of them dropping to the deck below like rocks with a resounding thud after being thoroughly cooked. The Pichu remained in the crow's nest, lying on his back dazed and shaking as jolts of residual electricity jumped across his frazzled fur. "Ugh… I'm p-probably n-never going up h-here again…" he stammered.
"Oi, swabbie!" someone barked from below. The Pichu quickly sat up and twitched his ears as the harsh voice reached him, scrambling to his stubby feet and leaping onto the side of the crow's nest. He looked over the edge of his perch to see a Granbull dressed in a wrinkled black trench coat that barely fit over his stocky body as well as a matching black captain's cap. "You're not supposed to be lazin' around up there, you're supposed to be tendin' to your duties! Get your bum back to the galley!" he bellowed as his flabby jowls shook.
"R-right away, Captain!" the Pichu squeaked before sliding down the crow's nest's rickety ladder. Once he got closer to the deck, he jumped off and landed in front of the Granbull, standing firmly at attention.
"What… The hell happened to you?" the Granbull murmured warily.
"I was attacked by seagulls, Sir!" he explained, shaking a bit as he held up his stubby little paw. "They ganged up on me so I had no choice but to defend myself…"
"Hmph! Point is you shouldn't have been up there in the first place! What were you doin' up there anyhow?" the captain grumbled, cocking an eye at the little rodent.
"I was uh… Using that old spyglass I found the other day to look at Zephyr Island…"
"That doesn't sound like an order I'd give to you, now does it?"
"S-so sorry, Captain Murdoch! I'm just so excited since it's my first voyage this far away and all!" the Pichu replied enthusiastically.
"So I see. Well, take it from me! You're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Nothing special about that place at all…"
"But they have the Springtide Festival there! We don't celebrate that back in the Far Realms and it seems like a lot of fun."
"So? Lots of islands celebrate it! Point is that Zephyr Island aint nothing to get yourself in a tizzy over," the captain muttered as he adjusted his hat. "Most of the time its home to brigands and scumbags, and for a few days a year its infested with ornery tourists. See what I'm saying? You can polish a turd all you want, but at the end of the day its still just a turd."
"Doesn't look like a turd to me…" the Pichu mumbled under his breath.
"Give it time," the captain scoffed. "Now get back to work! I was told that one of our guests is a bit seasick and that the other three haven't eaten anything all day. Now you know that I'm not the most hospitable mon on the seas, but I do have somewhat of a sliver of a reputation to uphold, eh? So hurry up and do that, won't ya?" he grumbled as he started to walk away, only to stop as he almost stepped on one of the charred seagulls. "Uh. Care to explain this?" he asked the Pichu.
"Ah, that's my bad, Sir… I had to get those birds off me somehow!"
"Eh, it'd save me a bit on groceries so whatever. I'll get Gustav to bring 'em to the galley in a bit, so you can help him with making lunch for everyone."
"Aye aye, Captain Murdoch… Sir!" the yellow rodent stammered, looking like he was about to pop due to stress.
"That's a good sailor. Now run along to the cabin and make it quick. Also make sure to let our passengers know that we're about to dock in Zephyros," the Granbull ordered. "You'll probably find them somewhere in the hold."
"Say Captain, what are the passengers like?"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, are they… Nice? I haven't exactly gotten a chance to meet them yet. Heck, I haven't even seen them once since we set off from Ormos."
"Well that's because they aren't workin' to run this ship as hard as you are, swabbie. Of course you haven't seen them!" the Granbull snickered with a sly grin. "Come to think of it, they aint doin much at all right now. Why, just the thought of able-bodied mon relaxing on a ship while others are workin' makes my tusks ache. It's why I've never wanted to helm a ferry or anything like it…" he muttered distastefully. "Although they did pay me, so I guess it evens out."
"I see, but… N-nevermind. Oh, I know! I'll also make them some tea to tide them over until the food's ready!" the Pichu suggested.
"Hmph. Whatever you're gonna do, just get to it."
With that, the Pichu scampered on all fours across the deck and towards a metal door leading to the ship's interior. The captain glanced at the Pichu as he pattered up to it and jumped, grabbing onto the doorknob and twisting it to open the door and let himself in. He chuckled under his breath before looking down at the rodent's charred handiwork, stroking his grizzled chin as she let out a sigh.
A kettle whistled loudly in the otherwise quiet galley located in the belly of the ship as the Pichu hopped onto the counter, using his jagged tail to switch off the heat on the stove. He then set about procuring some relatively clean cups to pour its contents into.
Despite the difficulties in working on such a big ship, he had come to enjoy it in the short time he spent on it. Sure, pretty much everything was oversized in comparison to him, but he had expected it. Back at his home, he had no trouble finding utensils, equipment and furniture that was just right for his size, but here was a different story. Still, he persevered as it didn't really bother him too much and he sometimes even thought of it as a fun challenge to get the job done despite being so small.
He dug out some empty plastic cups and placed four of them on a wooden tray just as he heard the door open behind him. He turned and saw a large and imposing Pokémon, known as a Barbaracle carrying a barbecued seagull in three of its four claws as it walked up to the counter and placed the cooked birds on top of it.
"Hhhhnnngg…" it growled lowly.
"Hey there, Gustav! Thanks for, mmph— bringing those in!" the Pichu replied as he struggled to pick up the hot kettle full of tea by its handle.
"Grrraaagh?" the Barbaracle grunted inquisitively as he slowly reached towards the kettle.
"Oh, n-no its fine! I can d-do it mys— WOAH!"
Next thing he knew, the Pichu was falling backwards towards the edge of the counter as the kettle slipped from his tiny paws, the Barbaracle's eyes widening in concern as it plummeted to the floor. The Pichu shut his eyes as he fell off the counter, bracing himself for the impact as well as the sound of the kettle clattering to the floor and spilling its scalding hot contents. Yet another mess to look forward to. However, neither ever came.
His fall was suddenly broken by something coarse, causing him to open his eyes and look up to see Gustav staring down at him as he held him with one of his claws. He looked to the side and saw that the kettle had been caught by him as well, and not a single drop had spilled. The Pichu let out a sigh of relief and sheepishly rubbed his cheek as he stood up in the Barbaracle's claw.
"W-wow, thanks for that, Gustav! You're a real life-saver…" he chuckled as he jumped from his claw back to the counter.
"Rrrgh, hrrrngh…"
"Heh… Guess I needed some help after all, huh?" the Pichu sighed, dragging the tray with the cups into position as Gustav held the kettle and proceeded to pour some piping hot, hearty tea into each one. Without saying anything, the Barbaracle put the kettle back on the stove, reached up to grab a stained apron from a nearby hook. He then slipped into it and tied it around his waist, grabbing a big knife before turning his attention to the roasted seagulls that were laying on the counter.
"Er… So, do you think our guests will like this kind of tea? Its fine for us sailors but it pretty strong otherwise…" the Pichu murmured, his voice growing softer with each word he said.
The Barbaracle simply shrugged as he went about preparing the charred birds.
"R-right, well, thanks again! I'd better bring this to them then…" The Pichu hoisted the tray of drinks above him and balanced it atop his head, wobbling only slightly as he seemed to have a much better handle on it than he did with the kettle. The Barbaracle used one of his free claws to provide a stable platform for the Pichu, safely lowering him down to the floor before he walked off and through the galley's door.
Once he was on the other side, the Pichu began to walk slowly towards the door at the end of the hallway that led to the hold as he balanced the tray above his head and tried to not spill the hot tea. "Careful… Careful!" he murmured nervously to himself. He almost made it to the door when he heard it suddenly slam open as a large blur of blue and black fur barreled into the hall.
"O-outta my way! F-fresh air! N-now!" He froze in surprise as the Pokémon, who turned out to be a Luxray, erratically bounded towards him and nearly knocked him over. The Pichu gasped and nearly dropped his tray but managed to step aside just in the nick of time while keeping it just stable enough, letting the distressed feline hurry past him and out the door to the deck. He stood against the wall in shock for a moment, processing what had just happened, thanking his lucky stars that he managed to not spill the drinks. It seemed that no matter what he did, he was always just a few steps away from some awful accident.
However, the tea was going to get cold soon so he collected himself and made his way towards the open door the Luxray had bolted out from. The hold on the other side was dimly lit and a chilly, foreboding breeze was seeping out from within. He shivered slightly as he peered inside but didn't immediately see anyone. He did, however, see the soft glow of a rusty oil lamp that was hanging from the ceiling, swaying gently back and forth as it illuminated the shadows of various boxes, crates and barrels that cluttered the room. He gulped and carefully crossed the threshold as the ship rocked and tilted around him.
He walked past stacks of boxes and barrels, most of them tied down with ropes while a few were loose and scraped along the floor slightly as the ship pitched and rocked. He had to correct his balance more than once, but the Pichu managed to make it to the center of the hold, right underneath the swaying lamp. Once there, he saw that the cold air seemed to be coming from a block of ice that was sitting and slowly melting in a bucket of water nearby. It was a common technique used to cool down a room when a building, or ship in this case, lacked any fans, air conditioning, or windows to crack open. He figured it must have been set up by another member of the crew for the few passengers that were in there… Supposedly. He only thought that because he didn't see anyone there, leaving him confused and slightly creeped out.
"H-hello?" he asked meekly as he looked around, the dim light making it somewhat difficult to see outside of the faint glow of the lamp. "Is anyone there?" he squeaked as he stepped further into the room.
"That's far enough," a deep voice growled from the shadows. "Not a step closer."
The Pichu froze up and stopped in his tracks as ordered, not daring to take another step. He peered through the gloom and saw someone sitting in a chair just outside the reach of the lamp's light. Their muscular arms, both clad in spiked shoulder armor were folded over their waist while one of their legs was crossed over the other. While their body was faintly illuminated, their head was still ominously shrouded in shadow. A shiver danced along his little spine as he realized that he hadn't seen the figure until just then.
"H-hey there… I've uh… B-brought you some r-r-refreshments!" the Pichu stammered nervously.
"Refreshments?" the voice growled again, this time coming from a completely different direction. "What kind of refreshments?"
"N-nothing fancy, j-just t-tea…" he replied as he looked around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. It seemed like it was coming from the sitting Pokémon, but it was also echoing slightly so he couldn't be that sure. "J-just a little something to t-tide you guys over until lunch. You… Do l-like tea, don't you?" he chuckled shakily.
"Heh. Tea is fine. But to be honest with you, rodent…" the creepy voice purred, transitioning from a growl to a chilling whisper as it continued. "I would prefer something a little more… Should I say, rich..."
"Uh… Who am I actually talking to?" the Pichu gulped, feeling more and more unsettled and confused by the second. At first he was looking forward to meeting the passengers, but now he was just ready to drop the tea and turn tail as fast as possible.
"That's not important, shorty- I mean, little one…" the voice retorted. "Just put the tea on the floor and leave."
"S-sure thing! Don't worry, I c-can take the hint!" the Pichu replied shakily as he quickly took the tray off his head and placed it on the floor before backing away. "Um… Glad I could serve you! I'll be going n—," he said as he turned to walk away, only to freeze in place as he saw something utterly terrifying in the darkness ahead of him. Two red, glowing eyes were staring straight at him, seeming to meld out of the very shadows that were enveloping them. Before he had a chance to react, he heard a sinister snarl as the eyes rushed forward and he felt like the darkness itself was flowing over him. He couldn't even scream as he felt a weighty shadow bearing down on him, causing him to fall back onto the floor as the presence loomed over him, peering into his soul with those evil red eyes.
"AHHH! P-please don't hurt me! I'm sorry for disturbing you! Leave me alone I promise I won't bother you ever again, I swear!" he frantically squeaked as he covered his face with his paws, shaking uncontrollably. As he waited for the shadowy presence to make its next move, several seconds of tense silence ticked by without anything happening. The sudden silence made the Pichu slowly lower one of his paws to see just what was going on. Once he did, he saw that the red eyes belonged to a sleek, black-furred canine with a dimly glowing yellow ring on its forehead. It had an impish grin as it stared down at him.
"Boo~."
"AAAAHH!" he squealed in terror as he curled up into a ball and shut his eyes. "Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me, please!"
"Khh… Pfff… Bwahahahahaha!"
The Pichu's ears twitched and his breath got caught in his throat as he heard the dark canine laughing at him. Some of his initial fear subsided as he heard that feminine laugh and took another look at her, unsure as to why she wasn't eviscerating him by now. "W-what the heck is going on here?" he whimpered as she kept snickering at him.
"Boy, I got you GOOD! You should've seen your face when you turned around!" she laughed as she wagged her tail and stepped back from the Pichu. "I guess it's true that some Pokémon really are afraid of Umbreon, huh~?"
"Oh gosh… You… That voice was you?!" he asked incredulously.
The Umbreon snickered as she sat down and held up her chin proudly. "Sure was!" she replied in the exact same deep, growly voice he had heard before. "I can throw my voice to make it sound farther away," she added with that mischievous grin.
"N-no kidding… I thought that voice was coming from your friend in the chair…"
A sudden snore could be heard rumbling from the figure in the chair, causing the Pichu to jump in surprise as he turned to look at them again. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light a bit more, he could now see that it was a Hitmonchan sitting in the chair, fast asleep despite all the commotion that had just happened.
"Wha-… How can he still be sleeping after all that noise I made?!"
"Heh! That's normal for him," she giggled. "He works hard but he definitely also loves his cat-naps…"
The Pichu shook his head and looked back at the Umbreon. "W-well anyway that w-wasn't really nice of you, ya know. I was just trying to be kind and bring you guys some refreshments," he huffed as he stood up and angrily crossed his tiny arms. "And the only reason I was scared was because you came out of nowhere! If I knew what you were, you would've gotten a nasty shock!"
"I know, I know, I'm sorry! That was pretty mean of me, I'll admit…" the Umbreon sheepishly replied as she lowered her ears and gave him a weak smile. "I just can't resist messin' with people sometimes," she added as she mischievously stuck her pink tongue out at him and winked. "Let's start over. I'm Melanie!" she told him with a toothy grin.
"O-okay then. I'm Ollie. It's er… N-nice to meet you, Melanie," the Pichu murmured, still a bit shaken and wary.
"It's nice to meet you too, Ollie. And thanks for not electrocuting me!" she snickered.
"I'm thankful for that as well. You know we Pichu always shock ourselves whenever we use electric attacks…" he chuckled.
"Oh I'm aware! You poor thing, that must be hard to deal with…"
"N-not really, honestly. I'm not exactly much of a fighter so I don't use those abilities that often… Heheh…" Ollie murmured as his cheeks glowed a soft red. "Still, I'm ready to evolve into a Pikachu so I don't have to worry about it anymore!"
Once he mentioned evolving, the Umbreon perked up her ears and wagged her tail excitedly. "Oh, you'll love it, evolving's awesome~! You start to glow super bright, you get really tingly all over, and then next thing you know, your body is totally changed all at once!" she explained. "You feel so much stronger, like you're able to take on anything right then and there!"
"Whoa… That sounds sorta like how I imagined it!" Ollie replied with a smile.
"It's definitely an unforgettable experience, that's for sure," she giggled. "I hope you can evolve soon!"
"Thanks, I'm looking forward to it even more now! Anyway, why don't you try the tea I made for you guys? It's probably cooled by now…"
"I'd love to! Just gimme one second…" she replied as she walked past him and over to the sleeping Hitmonchan. She parked herself next to his chair before clearing her throat and tilting her head upwards. "ROLL CALL!"
The Hitmonchan instantly lurched straight up in the chair, his eyes flying wide open as he transitioned to standing in less than a second. "ATTENTION!" he yelled loudly in response, his hand shooting up to give a salute. The Pichu simply stood there, stunned at how quickly he reacted as well as the manner he did it in. The Fighting-type humanoid stood there for a few moments, blinking in confusion as he then looked down at the Umbreon as she snickered mischievously to herself. "Ah… You never get tired of doing that to me, do you?" he sighed in annoyance as he tapped a foot against the floorboards.
"Hey now, I just thought you should be present to thank this little guy for bringing us all refreshments," she replied as she pointed towards the Pichu with her paw, who in turn blushed and fidgeted nervously.
The Hitmonchan blinked a few more times and turned to face Ollie, while also noticing the cups of freshly brewed tea that were sitting on the floor. He chuckled and smiled warmly at the little electric mouse. "Aha! Of course! You have my gratitude, er…"
"O-Ollie?"
"Mister Ollie! Thank you very much, kind Sir! We truly owe you one," he said, smiling widely. "You can just call me Egon, by the way."
"Well gee, it's no big deal Mister Egon! I was just thinking you'd all be thirsty since we don't exactly have modern air conditioning on our ship," the Pichu chuckled modestly. "Although that ice block seems to have done a pretty good job of cooling down this room already."
"It has, but it's almost melted so we'll have to replace it really soon," Melanie replied, just as a scraping noise was heard from behind a nearby pallet of crates. "Speak of the devil…" she muttered.
All of a sudden a diminutive, blue-shelled beetle-like Pokémon with a two-pronged horn jumped up from behind the crates, landing on top of them as it effortlessly held a much bigger block of ice above its head. "… And he shall appear! Yahaha!" he laughed heartily before hopping down to the floor. Ollie gasped in concern as he was certain that the little beetle would be crushed by the ice… Only to be surprised when he saw him land safely on the floor while handily supporting the weight of the ice. The beetle scuttled over to the tub and tossed the ice in as if it were as light as a cardboard box, causing a bit of water to splash and slosh out. He turned back to the others with a cocky smirk on his tiny face. "Sorry I took so damn long. What's the kerfuffle?" he asked casually.
"Oh there's no kerfuffle. This kind crewmember has just brought us all some much-needed refreshments," Egon explained.
The beetle, better known as a Karrablast, looked at the cups of tea and then to the Pichu. "Well shit. Thanks a load for that, kid. Good to know at least one soul on this bloody barge knows how to treat passengers," he snorted.
"I-it's nothing, really! I just thought you could all use some cold drinks."
"And what? You came up with this idea all on your own? Sheesh. Give yourself a pat on the back, mate!"
"Beck, please. You don't have to be so… Beckish?" Melanie told him with a tilt of her head.
"Whaaaaaaat? You know me. I'm just statin' the obvious, here!" the Karrablast retorted with a shrug. He then looked at the Pichu and grinned before hopping over to him. "You've got a good head on your squatty little shoulders, kid! Take it from me. Keep up this level of service, and you might get to graduate to work in a roadside inn one day!"
"Seriously? Why do you always have to be such an ass to people we've just met?" Melanie growled as she hunched down and glared at the beetle. "Haven't you ever heard of making a good first impression?" Ollie just blinked in silence at her statement.
"Yeah, that's what I leave on the bums of wankers who cross me, right?" the Karrablast snickered, eliciting another growl from the Umbreon.
"C'mon you guys. I know it hasn't been the most comfortable voyage, but you really should remain professional in front of our guest. There'll be plenty of time to bicker once we make it to the island," Egon interjected as he walked over to the tray of cups and sat down on the floor in front of it. Melanie stuck her tongue out at Beck while he just carried on snickering in return. "The tea's nice and cool now, so we should all have a cup before we have to leave. Ollie here went through the trouble of making it, after all," the Hitmonchan added, causing the Pichu's cheeks to turn pink again.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I was just givin' you a hard time, kid," Beck chuckled as he gave Ollie a wink and a friendly grin. "Sorry if I insulted you any…"
"Eh, it's fine Mister Beck," the Pichu chuckled dryly.
The Pichu uttering his name made his yellow eyes grow wide as if he just remembered something. "Criminy, where are my manners?!"
"You're just now wondering that?" Melanie muttered under her breath.
"The name's Beck! And it'd be my pleasure to butt heads with you!"
"Nice to meet you, too. I'm Ollie. And I appreciate it, but a regular old handshake would probably be best…" the Pichu chuckled as he reached out and shook Beck's tiny hand.
"Ahem. His name's actually Beckett, but he prefers to go by Beck because it sounds more rugged. His words, not mine," Melanie giggled.
"Watch yourself, nightlight…"
"He also loves to be called Becky," she snickered.
"I swear, once we're off this rusty bucket I'll— You're giggling over there, ya monkey! Don't think I don't see it!" Beck fumed as Egon couldn't help but let out a muffled chuckle. "Sheesh. Tossers, the lot of ya…" he grumbled as indignantly folded his stubby little arms.
"It's alright, Beck! I think Becky's a cute name to have if you were a girl," Ollie responded with a straight face, sounding as genuine as possible, making the Karrablast grimace and freeze up for a moment in confusion while the others struggled not to burst into full-blown laughter.
"I… Er… I don't know how to process that…" he mumbled.
"You *snrk* thank him for the compliment, of course!" Egon chuckled.
"Rrrgh… Fine! Thanks for looking on the bright side of things, kid. You're a real one," the Karrablast snorted as he sat down and grabbed one of the cups of tea.
"I always try to!" the Pichu replied proudly.
"Whatever…" Beck grumbled as he testily sipped at his tea and looked at the other three Pokémon around him. "So I see fuzz-butt finally had to step out. It's a wonder it took him this long!" he remarked as Ollie perked up his ears.
"Oh, that's right! I saw a Luxray running out of this room before I went in. Are you talking about him?" he asked.
"Mhm! That's our pal, Niko," Melanie responded with a nod.
"He was in an awful hurry to get some fresh air. He nearly bowled me over while I was carrying the tea, too…"
"Yeah, about that… We learned just yesterday that our compatriot gets seasick quite easily. It's been especially tough for him on this little voyage of ours," Egon clarified. "The thing is, none of us knew that about him."
"Heh. Like he'd ever voluntarily tell us something like that!" Beck chortled.
"It's not like you're much better in that regard…" Melanie scoffed while Beck simply scowled back at her.
Ollie shook his head as his smile faded slightly. "That's too bad. Maybe some of my tea would help him feel better?"
"Eh, I don't think so, kid. It's not like he'd be able to keep it down while we're on this ship, after all. Speaking of… What did you have in that barrel over there?" Beck asked as he pointed to a nearby wooden barrel.
"Um… Apples, I think? I don't exactly remember but I can go take a—."
"Yeah, don't."
"Huh?"
"He was sick three times in there earlier."
"Oh! N-no big deal, we'll clean it up later…" Ollie sighed weakly.
"That won't cause any problems for your captain, would it?" Egon asked him, garnering a nervous look from the Pichu. "I'd hate for us to cause you and your crew any trouble. If it ends up being a problem, just know that I'd be willing to pay for any damages you guys sustain from having your cargo ruined."
"Gee, um… That's awfully considerate of you, Sir! To be honest, I don't think my Captain would mind much since we weren't going to sell those anyway. It was also an accident, after all. But Gustav on the other hand…"
"Gustav?" Egon inquired with interest.
"The ship's cook. He's a Barbaracle, you might've noticed him around. If I remember correctly then that barrel is full of apples he got from the market back in Ormos. And if I remember another thing correctly then they were kinda expensive as well…" the Pichu murmured nervously as he rubbed his head.
"Yeheheh… Oh… That guy…" Beck gulped, the Pichu swearing that he could see a bead of sweat drop down the side of his head. "Doesn't seem like the friendliest chap aboard, I gotta be honest."
"Eh, it should be fine if I just explain the situation to him. I've got an in with the guy since I spend a lot of time in the galley with him due to my job. He's really grumpy a lot of the time but he's actually pretty cool once you get to know him," Ollie replied with a reassuring smile.
"Huh. Well that's a start, eh Egon?" Beck remarked before looking over to the Hitmonchan, who seemed to be somewhat lost in thought with his fist propping up his chin. "Hey, Egon?" he snorted, causing his friend to snap back to reality.
"Hm? Oh right, yes. That's good to hear. Sorry, I just thought that the name Gustav and the fact that he was a Barbaracle sounded a bit familiar to me…" he replied, still seeming a bit distracted while Beck and Melanie exchanged puzzled glances.
"Why don't I talk to him for you?" the Pichu suggested. "Like I said, I've got an in with him."
"Thanks for offering, but if it's possible then I'd prefer to speak with him myself. I'm not one to shy away from meeting with people face-to-face," Egon replied smoothly, making his companions' eyes grow wide.
"Wait, r-really? W-well then, go right ahead! Don't let me stop you…"
"Yeah, it'll be fine. Egon's got great people-skills!" Melanie added with a nod.
"Are you sure? The Barbaracle line aren't exactly known to be great conversationalists," Beck remarked.
"Need I remind you that of the time I was lost in the jungles of Cymeria for weeks? I was surrounded by nothing but Feral Pokémon, and even a civilized Barbaracle like this Gustav fellow would be easier to communicate with than them," Egon countered as he smugly crossed his arms.
"No kidding! You mean the same story you've told me and the rest of the team like almost a thousand times? I'm a little fuzzy on the details after having it pounded into my brain so much. Why not regale us with it again?" the Karrablast groaned.
"Wait, really? That's crazy!" Ollie gasped, his eyes sparkling in awe. "I'd love to—," he continued, only to catch the scowl and glare that Beck was giving him. "I mean, uh… N-nevermind, I probably don't have the time to hear it anyway. I gotta get back to work soon, y'know?"
"Well there's always our return journey! I can tell you all about it then if you'd like," Egon suggested with a chuckle. "I definitely have other stories up my sleeve as well, in case the one I mentioned has worn out its entertainment value for some Pokémon…" he added smarmily as Beck rolled his eyes and Melanie giggled.
"Oh, so you're going to be sailing with us again? That's great news! And uh, this might be a bit nosy of me, but… We don't usually carry passengers on this ship. Why exactly are you guys traveling with us in the first place?"
"Well to tell you the truth, this was all a pretty last-minute thing. When we got into Ormos yesterday, I found out that your ship was the only one left that was heading to Zephyr Island. We couldn't afford to wait around for a passenger vessel to become available, so I convinced your captain to provide us passage as long as I paid… Of course, he was happy to oblige," the Hitmonchan explained before taking a sip of his tea. "He may be a typical old sea-dog, but he's certainly no swindler. He made sure we knew that the amenities weren't exactly pleasure-cruise or even basic passenger-line caliber before paying, but that was totally fine with us. All in all we got a pretty good deal considering its peak tourism season on Zephyr Island."
"Well when you put it that way, I guess that makes perfect sense," Ollie chuckled with a shrug. "The captain's not exactly one to turn down some extra Poké when he can get it but he's a good mon. He gave me a chance to prove myself even when all the other Captains doubted me. I just hope I can repay him by making him proud…"
"You're fine, Ollie! And don't worry, I believe you can," Egon chortled as he held up his cup of tea. "You've definitely made all of us feel very welcome today, and that's certainly something to be proud of." The Umbreon and Karrablast smiled and nodded to the Pichu, letting him know that they felt the same way as well.
The Pichu looked quite humbled by Egon's words, as all he could do was smile like a goofball while sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "I… I dunno what to say except, well, thanks guys," he replied bashfully. Suddenly, he sat up and turned back towards the door at the front of the room. "Dang it! I almost forgot! Alright, I've really enjoyed talking with you all but I really should get back to the galley so I can help Gustav finish up lunch for everyone," he told them. "I'll let Gustav know that you wanna talk with him and you guys can hash things out over lunch before you guys leave." He got up gave the other three Pokémon a cordial nod, which they returned before he turned and made his way out of the room. He stopped just short of the door and snapped one of his tiny fingers, turning to face them again briefly. "Oh and that reminds me. While I was up in the crow's nest earlier I saw Zephyr Island through the spyglass! That means we should be docking in Zephyros within an hour or two!" he informed them cheerfully.
"Hoo yeah!" replied Egon as he pumped his fist in celebration. "That's great news, thanks for letting us know," he added as he and his companions put down their cups and stood up.
"Now about that lunch you mentioned… Lead the way, shorty!" Beck snorted as he hopped up onto Melanie's back.
"Didn't you hear what he said? They still have to finish making it! And who said you could ride on my back, Becky?!" the Umbreon barked in annoyance while the Karrablast just laughed.
"Well then, why don't we help 'em out so we can eat sooner?" Beck snorted back.
"It should be almost done by now, but you're welcome to help out if you want," Ollie replied.
"You heard 'em! Onwards to the galley, my steed! We gotta talk to Gusteau or whatever his name was anyways!"
"Egoooon, tell him to buzz off! I really hate when he does this…" Melanie whined.
"C'mon now, nightlight! You also hated it whenever I used to tell on you to Egon, so don't be a hypocrite. You gotta handle me on your own like a big girl!" Beck snickered condescendingly.
"Cut it out, you two! What are you, a couple of eight-year-olds?" the Hitmonchan sighed.
"Rrrrgh… Fine! The sooner we get to the galley the sooner I can get this pest off my back!" she huffed as she pranced ahead with Beck chortling on her back.
As they all made their way out of the room and towards the galley, Ollie looked up at Egon with a befuddled expression. "Is it always like this with them?" he asked as they started to walk.
The Hitmonchan chuckled in response. "You'd better believe it. And you haven't even seen what its like when our other friend is in the mix as well."
"Sorry for being nosy again, but why exactly are you guys traveling together? Are you just going to Zephyr Island for the Springtide Festival?" the Pichu inquired.
Egon chuckled again. "Now that, my friend… Is classified."
At last, the ship had successfully docked in the bustling port of Zephyros. As the ship's whistle hooted, it's heavy anchor splashed into the water, the chain clanking and rattling loudly as it was unwound. A flimsy gangplank was quickly moved into position by some dockworkers so that the crew and passengers could safely disembark. While most of the crew were scrambling about the deck in preparation for unloading their vessel's cargo, a door on the cabin opened as a jovial Egon and Gustav emerged side-by-side, both smiling with a hand on each other's backs, earning puzzled glances from some of the crew.
"I'm really glad we could work things out between us, Gustav!" Egon chuckled.
"Mmmrrrghh!" Gustav chortled happily as he walked beside him.
Behind them walked Ollie, Beck and Melanie, each looking as confounded as each other. While Egon and Gustav went ahead together, the other three hung back so that they wouldn't hear them talking. "They act like they've known each other for years… I just don't get it!" Beck scoffed. "I swear, that guy just has to flash a smile at people and tell them that he hopes they have a good day, and voila! He's instantly great friends with them…"
"I gotta hand it to him, he really brought Gustav out of his shell!" Ollie remarked. "Their talk was way less tense than I was thinking it was going to be, that's for sure."
"What, you could follow it?" Beck coughed.
"Well whatever gift he's got, it sure worked on us too, eh Beck?" Melanie giggled.
"Speak for yourself!" the Karrablast snorted dismissively. "I just follow the chummy bastard around because he helps me get paid!"
"You're so full of crap," the Umbreon retorted as she stuck her tongue out at him.
"Nah, what I'm full of is grace-C seagull meat," he groaned as he suddenly turned and glared at Ollie. "Just what the hell kind of meal was that anyway?! Not even our extra help could salvage that disaster!"
"Oh… I'm guessing you guys didn't enjoy it?" Ollie murmured bashfully.
Melanie's ears were pointed down as he asked them, but she quickly forced a smile and perked up as he looked at her. "Uh… N-no, I liked it just fine~! Honestly, it wasn't bad at all!"
"Oh now who's full of crap?" Beck remarked.
"Hey. I ate it, didn't I? And you did, too!"
"Of course I ate it! I hadn't eaten in almost a day! Besides, it was either that or the barrel of puke-fruit…"
"Gee, I'm sorry guys. It's just what we had on the menu for today. Plus, most of our crew is sort of used to the taste of fried seagull ever since we got stranded in the middle of the ocean one time when our ship ran out of fuel," Ollie explained apologetically.
"At the very least we can certainly appreciate the thought and effort. Right, Beck?" the Umbreon coughed as she batted Beck with her tail. The beetle-like Pokémon simply grunted in response and nodded begrudgingly. "Well then, I guess there won't be any trouble between us and your crew over those spoiled apples, huh?" she asked Ollie.
"Yeah, from the way Gustav's getting along with Egon everything should be just fine. I rarely see him so happy around others…"
"That's a relief. I was worried that we were gonna have to work on your ship to pay him back or something!" Melanie sighed as her eyes shifted awkwardly. "N-not that I haven't enjoyed my time sailing with you guys…"
"Don't worry, we wouldn't force you to do something like that. After all, it's not like we're pirates!" Ollie snickered, only to cringe and grimace as a violent and rough sounding wretch was heard from somewhere nearby.
"Heeeeuuulllggghhh!"
"Bloody hell, we get it! You love the friggin' Hitmonchan!" Beck groaned to the Barbaracle, even though he was well out of earshot.
"Uh, Beck? That's not Gustav…" Melanie told him as she pointed towards a Luxray that was standing at the side of the ship with his two front legs on the guardrail and his head hunched over the edge. A few disgruntled shouts and groans could be heard from the docks below as some workers and tourists had an unenviable, front-row view of the Luxray puking his guts out into the water.
"Criminy! What a mess he is! Depending on how that beach-buzzard settles in my stomach I might be joining him soon," Beck scoffed.
"Ugh… I hope your friend gets better soon. Being seasick is no fun at all! Hopefully we'll talk again, and you can introduce him to me as well. For now though, I gotta go talk with the captain! See you around!" Ollie told them, giving them a friendly wave before running off.
"Sure thing, Ollie! We should definitely hang out again!" Melanie called back to him while Beck folded his arms and nodded.
"Oi, Melanie. We should get going as well. We gotta meet with Egon and Niko and figure out our game plan," the Karrablast remarked. The Umbreon nodded and they both made their way over to Egon, who was still with Gustav as he was talking with their seasick companion.
"This is… Hurk... The worst… Case of seasickness I've— Urp… Ever had!" the Luxray groaned as he slowly moved off the railing and turned to face Egon and Gustav. He was squinting hard in the bright sun while his breathing was staggered as he laid down on his stomach, looking quite pallid and pathetic for an imposing-looking feline of his size.
"It's not going away, huh? Well in that case we need to get you some medical treatment in town," Egon observed as he stroked his chin.
"D-do they seriously not have any— Urk… Medicine on board?" the Luxray asked him.
Egon turned to Gustav, who simply shrugged his two lower arms. "Hhmmm… Grrahh…"
"That looks like a no to me. Possibly a maybe?" the Hitmonchan pondered, cocking his head as the Barbaracle nodded and made a dismissive gesture with one of his claws.
"Oh who am I kidding? Like I was supposed to expect any sort of professional medical help on a ship whose Captain takes passengers who pay— Ulp… Under the table?" he sighed, struggling not to throw up again as Melanie and Beck arrived.
"Ah, there he is!"
"Oh great…" the Luxray muttered in distaste, struggling not to vomit again as he heard Beck's voice approaching. He knew exactly what sort of ribbing he was in for with the Karrablast.
"Welly welly well! Look who it is! How're ya feelin' ya big numpty? Enjoying the salty sea air yet?"
"Like total garbage. And your blithering isn't helping…"
"Ya know, you could've just sat this one out."
"Oh, sure! Why didn't I think of that? I could've just sat on my ass back in Jewelgate doing nothing and letting the team down while you suck up my share. What a brilliant idea!"
"Hey now! That's not why I suggested it!" Beck coyly retorted. "I mean it's definitely a net benefit, but that's beside the point."
"Screw that. There's no way I was gonna leave you guys to go all the way out here and do this whole job by yourselves…"
"I understand, Niko. I know how strongly you feel about being a team player and pulling your weight, but I have to admit that I feel a little bad for making you come here now that I know it would make you this sick…" Egon murmured in concern.
Niko shook his head and gave him an annoyed glare. "Man, it's like you've forgotten who you're talking to! This is exactly why I didn't tell any of you about it. I knew you were gonna try to convince me to stay behind for my own health… I mean who do you— Ulgh… Think I am?!"
"A nauseous numpty?" Beck snorted derisively.
"We're just concerned about you, Niko. You're our friend, not just a team member, y'know," Melanie told him.
"Stop, it's nothing. I'll get better after we get on dry land and I find some medicine. It's no big deal, really…"
"We'll get you help as soon as we can, but… You really should be more open about stuff like this with us, Niko," the Hitmonchan said.
"Listen, Egon. I'm a part of this team through and through. I can deal with shit like this it if it means keeping my word and doing my job… That's what I've told you ever since we first met, and if I'm not mistaken that's exactly why you let me on your team, right?" he sighed. "I might be the new guy, but I'm not weak. You know what I'm capable of. I understand that you're concerned about me but frankly, I don't need to be coddled. I just need you to trust in me."
"I believe you, Niko. I really do, but… Next time something like this comes up, be honest about it with me, will you? We can't function properly as a team during jobs if we're withholding stuff from each other, alright?" Egon sighed as he looked him straight in the eyes. "Pride can be quite dangerous in our line of work… You should know that as well."
Niko stared coldly back at him for a moment before his muzzle turned green again and his gaze softened. "It's not… Fine. We're here now so let's just get off this freaking boat…"
"Anyway, someone should go take Niko to get medical treatment right away. There's no way he'll be able to walk straight in the state he's in right now. I can't do it since I need to meet with the Mayor at Town Hall as soon as we get off."
"I volunteer Beck. He'd probably get us into trouble with that mouth of his anyway…" Melanie snickered.
"Listen, you ring-headed… You know what, point taken. Ugh, fine… I'd better take 'em to the hospital then. I'll ask around, shouldn't be too hard to find," the Karrablast grumbled as he hopped up onto Niko's back and gave him a few pats to spur him into motion. "We'll meet up with you later outside Town Hall."
"Thanks, Beck. I owe you one," the Luxray replied weakly as he stood up on his wobbly legs.
"Whatever. Just try not to puke on me, alright? I've only polished my shell a few days ago…"
"Right then. Melanie, you'll be going with me to the town hall to talk with the mayor about our job. Beck and Niko, good luck and we'll meet you outside town hall once the meeting is done," Egon instructed them. "You can go ahead and leave the ship with them. I need to thank the captain and organize our return trip real quick…" he told the Umbreon.
Everyone said their goodbyes to Gustav as Melanie, Beck and Niko made their way to the gangplank to disembark. Instead of going with his companions, Egon stayed behind as he looked for the captain.
Meanwhile, the captain in question was leaning against the railing on his ship's bow, presumably taking a quick breather after bringing the ship safely into port.
"Captain!" The Granbull turned back to see little Ollie scurrying up to him before he leaped onto the railing and sat down, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy harbor. Beyond the crowded docks was the town of Zephyros itself, adorned in colorful banners and balloons while the sounds of merriment could be heard drifting towards them. "Well it looks like we made it in one piece!" he beamed.
"Was there ever any doubt?"
"Er… N-no, Sir?"
"Right answer, swabbie." The Granbull remained silent for a minute or so as the Pichu beside him briefly removed his bandana to allow the cool breeze to blow through the yellow, ruffled fur on his head. He then turned around and leaned against the railing with his back and shoulders. "Well… Didja meet 'em?"
"Yeah… I met 'em…" Ollie replied, sounding exhausted just from being around them. "They're a pretty interesting bunch, that's for sure! Kinda wild and shouty at times, but they seem like good mon," he laughed as he looked ahead and stared at the tops of some of the few, taller buildings in Zephyros. "Say, Captain? I was wondering… Since we'll be docked here for a few days and all… Would it be alright if I looked around town for a bit?"
"Hmm? As opposed to workin'? Surely ya don't expect me to just let you run off and play at the festival, right? Remember, you've got a job to do!" he grumbled.
The Pichu put his paws on his hips and tilted his head, almost as if he was expecting such an answer. "Well what if it's a shopping trip? We're gonna need at least one more barrel of fruit for the galley, so why not get it here while we have the time?"
"Hrrrrmmm… Y'know, that aint a bad idea. Eh, sure! That's fine with me! Just… Be sure to go with someone else from the crew, alright?" the Captain replied somewhat apprehensively.
"Maybe Gustav?"
"Of course. He should be your first choice considering you're gonna be buyin' food. You two can get going as soon as you're finished with cleaning up the galley from lunch."
"Aye aye! I'll go let him know!" the Pichu exclaimed happily before scampering away. However, just as he was leaving, he noticed Egon making his way towards the captain. He quickly ducked behind some nearby barrels so that neither of them could see him and stuck out an ear to eavesdrop. He had been curious as to what business the four strangers had on Zephyr Island ever since he met them, and the fact that Egon had acted so cagey when he asked about it only made him more intrigued.
"Hey there, Captain Murdoch. Thanks again for giving us passage," Egon told him.
"And thank you for payin' me."
"Seems like it was a good investment! It's a relief that our journey was free of any incidents. Well, save for our own team member's seasickness, but that's not your fault. I have to say, your crew definitely made us feel welcome," the Hitmonchan chuckled with a charismatic smile.
"Hmph! Impossible. We've gone a whole week without an accident…"
"No, seriously! Everyone we've met aboard your ship has been a delight in their own way. Especially Gustav and Ollie," he replied with complete sincerity. The Pichu's eyes widened as he was actually quite surprised to hear himself being spoken of so highly by someone else to his Captain. He felt a fluttering in his chest as well as his tail twitching in excitement and pride. He knew the Granbull hadn't put much stock into hospitality, but he wondered if Egon's words could help him see the value in the work that he did.
"Really now… Well I guess that's good to hear," Murdoch mumbled somewhat dismissively. The Pichu's ears drooped a little in response, as it didn't seem like he cared about the feedback that much. He understood that his skills with cooking and cleaning may not have been fully appreciated by his boss, but it was still a bit disappointing to be reminded of it. However, that twinge of disappointment only lasted for a moment as he told himself that he would just have to work harder than ever to prove himself to the captain. For now though, he continued to listen in on the conversation.
"Anyway, about our return trip to the Far Realms…" Egon mentioned.
"Right, right. Exactly how long is this job of yours going to take? I have to leave port within two days by three o'clock. I can't stay any longer than that," Murdoch huffed sternly.
"If everything goes according to plan then we'll be finished by tomorrow evening. We'll be ready to go when you are, hopefully."
"Yeah, if everything goes according to plan… That's the part ya gotta remember!"
"Oh for sure, but take it from me… We've got a good track record. You can bet on us being on time!" he laughed.
"I sure hope so. Otherwise I'm leavin' you lot behind and you'll have to sort the rest out yourselves!" the Granbull chortled.
"Our meeting with the mayor shouldn't take too long. After that, we can probably go right to work. Depending on what the situation is like we might even be done ahead of schedule."
"They're meeting with the mayor of Zephyros? What for?" Ollie thought, listening even more intently now.
"Whatever, it's all the same to me. Just make sure you and your mates'll be ready to board by three o'clock the day after tomorrow. I don't give refunds…"
"No worries, I'm just glad you agreed to take us here in the first place… You won't hear any complaints from me if I don't keep my word," Egon said reassuringly. "So about this place… I've heard on good authority that it's not the most welcoming to Pokémon of our profession…"
"Heh. You've heard right. You and your team better watch your backs here, lad. It may look pretty but its chock full of brigands and outlaws. The last thing they'd want is a gaggle of your types snooping around," the old Granbull grunted with a smirk.
"Eh… Crooks and pirates are one thing. What we're here to deal with is a whole different can of worms…" Egon remarked as he casually leaned against the railing alongside him. "But thanks for the warning. We'll certainly be on guard while we're here."
"Good. And I take it my crew hasn't given you any grief, either? I told you before you boarded that some of them are former pirates, didn't I? Although from what you've told me, they were fairly agreeable…"
"Everything was fine with them, thankfully. To my knowledge none of them have an inkling about what we do…" Egon replied quietly. "We have you to thank for that as well, Sir."
"Yeah, I tried asking him earlier but he wouldn't say! Just what do these guys do? And why would it be a problem on Zephyr Island?" the little Pichu pondered, racking his brain to figure out just who and what they were.
The Granbull grinned slyly and chuckled as he opened his trench coat, reaching inside to pull out a small burlap sack that was tied shut. "No problem, sonny. My crew might've pressed you on what you had in this bag if they found it on you, but they wouldn't dare poke around in my business," he laughed as he tossed the bag to the Hitmonchan, who caught it and slung it over his shoulder. Naturally, Ollie caught a glimpse of this exchange and it only made him even more curious.
"I don't doubt it! You might be a cranky fella but you're also a lifesaver, Captain Murdoch. You have my thanks!" Egon replied as he turned to walk away while giving a thumbs up. "See you again in a few days…"
"Just be on time, will ya?" the Captain yawned as he gave a lazy wave back to him. Once Egon was out of earshot and walking down the gangplank, Murdoch sighed and rubbed his neck. "And good luck to ya. You'll need it…" he muttered, a statement only the eavesdropping Ollie could hear.
The Pichu quickly scampered away to find Gustav and let him know that they could go into town soon. He had originally wanted to see what the Springtide Festival was all about, but now he was even more interested to find out what the Hitmonchan and his cohorts were up to.
End of Chapter 8…
