Chapter 78: Thoughts on a Ferry Ride
After the Hoenn branch of Team Cosmic was finally dismantled and scattered in an epic battle in the old Team Aqua base southeast of Lillycove, Lucas was taken back to the hospital to recover. His severe injuries were exacerbated by the damage done by his own Gyrados. His Pokemon Franky was used by Team Cosmic in one of their heinous experiments. Brainwashed, super-powered and enraged, Lucas' ex Marcia sicced the formerly sweet tempered Gyrados on his Trainer to kill him. Though a reminder of their strong bond brought the water type back to normal, during the fight the very hurt Lucas became even more injured. It took many weeks before he finally recovered enough to go back on the road.
But now that he was better, it was time to take the next leg of his Journey. He still had two more Gym matches to prepare for before he could fulfill the promise he made on television of seeking the Hoenn League Championship. Lucas checked out of the hospital, went to the Pokemon Center to check on the Pokemon that were stolen by Team Cosmic and to rearrange his team, and went to Ashley's home to pick up his things. Skyler and Morgan had stayed with the Pokemon Coordinator while Lucas was recovering, but he refused to have them pick him up from the hospital. Instead, he wanted to meet them at the home so he could personally invite Ashley to see them off at the ferry dock.
Like many other of the coastal towns of Hoenn, Lillycove had multiple ferries that traveled to almost every other port in the Region. The one that went to Mossdeep was among the most frequent, as most people who came to Lillycove were passers through like Lucas, on their Journey to get the eight League badges. There wouldn't be much time until they all said goodbye to Ashley, so Lucas made the that last moment count.
"Ashley, I want to thank you for everything you did for me while I was in Lillycove. Giving me and my friends a place to stay, and more importantly, helping to get my Pokemon back," Lucas took Ashley's hands into his own. The girl's face blushed, but she did her best to keep her emotions in check.
"Of course. I would do that for just about anyone," she responded casually.
"But I know I'm not just anyone to you. Maybe in another life this would have worked out between us, and even though I know Skyler is the person I'm supposed to be with now, you're not just anyone to me either. There was a reason I felt so strongly about you when I first met you, and you proved that admiration wasn't just me thinking you're just sexy as hell. I still feel strongly about you, too. Even though it's not the same as in Hearthome, I do still truly love you. When we parted then you gave me something to show me that regardless of anything else, we were friends. Since I'm leaving now, I wanted to give you something to show you we still are," Lucas reached into his bag and pulled out a Pokemon egg, "This egg will hatch into a Feebas. I know Milotic are super valuable to Coordinators, and being that Franky is its father and after everything that happened at the base, I want you to be the one to raise it. I know it will be in the best of hands,"
Ashley swallowed hard and bit back the feelings that were about to overwhelm her, "I'll treasure it forever, and when I show it in the Contest ring, know that every victory I get will be for you,"
"And every battle with Stella was and will be for you," The two Trainers embraced strongly. Both knew that while they would see each other again some day, they would never have the same feelings they did in that moment. It wasn't just goodbye, it was the end of something more.
When Lucas and Ashley finished hugging, Skyler took his turn. The two looked at each other knowingly, and hugged each other just as hard. Ashley spoke softly into Skyler's ear, "Don't ever be as stupid as I was. Don't let him go. There aren't that many people as special as he is,"
"I never will. Not when I know I was somehow lucky enough to win out against you, as wonderful as you are. I can't ever forget the competition," Skyler smiled back.
Next Ashley turned to the final Trainer for her hug, "Morgan, I-"
The goth and scene girl held up a hand to stop the Coordinator and gave a wry smile, "Don't. I don't do emotional. Let's just let the warm fuzzy stuff and girl power rah, rah, rah remain subtext. You're cool, I'm cool, we're friends. Enough said. Besides, I'm not going with them,"
"Wait, you're not? When did that happen?" Lucas blinked with surprise.
"I'd been considering it for a while. I've collected all the dark types in this Region that I needed and I'm not doing the Gym challenge, so there's no reason for me to stay in Hoenn. Besides, you and Skyler are all lovey-dovey now and let's face it, I'm just the third wheel here. Like I said, I don't do emotional," Morgan explained, "I just didn't get a chance to mention it with everything that happened. But now that you're heading back on the road for your next Gym match, now's a good time to make my exit and head for the Olivine ferry. It's been an adventure as always, Rooster Boy. Take care of yourself until we stumble into each other again,"
Lucas nodded in understanding. A PA announcement stated the Mossdeep ferry was now boarding, and the four teen Trainers knew the time to part had arrived. Wordlessly, Ashley smiled as Lucas and Skyler headed to the dock. Morgan threw a peace sign over her shoulder as she pivoted towards the Olivine ferry's dock in the other direction. As she walked away Lucas called back a final time, "Hey Motley Crue! Popcorn!"
The dark type Trainer began cackling and turned back a final time to give one of her rare, earnest smiles. Lucas smiled back and headed onto the ship. Skyler crossed his arms and as they stepped over the ramp he finally asked, "Lucas, what on earth does 'popcorn' mean?"
Lucas clapped his boyfriend on the shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly, "Skyler, I would do anything for you that you asked me, but when it comes to 'popcorn', that shit is going with me to the grave,"
The trip from Lillycove City to the island of Mossdeep would take at least three days. While still a part of Hoenn, the city was the furthest east the Region went, and largely very isolated from the rest. The ferry was well stocked with beds and food for its passengers, but there still wasn't much to do while small uninhabited islands and reefs just under the water's surface passed by. While Lucas and Skyler found things to do to entertain themselves, the Trainers decided to let their Pokemon out and go exploring on the one special deck the ferry provided for that purpose. While other Pokemon wandered around the artificial grass or looked curiously at the largely open ocean, Lucas and Skyler's teams stuck to one and other, discussing many things amongst themselves, thoughts no humans, not even their Trainers, would ever understand or learn about.
Kazza sat in repose, coming to terms with his new form, "So I'm an Alakazam now,"
"It was scary what those awful people did to you. Are you mad that you evolved?" Gizmo curled up nearby on an artificial rock, on level with Diablo who was lying next to him.
"It was truly terrifying, and very painful. However, in a strange way, I'm happy it happened," Kazza put his chin on his paw, staring at the blue horizon.
"How is that even possible?" Celes gasped, "Even from my perspective in the battle, I saw you were in absolute suffering!"
"This new power, it's something beyond description. My fellow Abra talked of the limitless power of our evolutionary line, and I must say, the legends and whispers were all true. Ever since I evolved I wondered what it would be like, considering simply changing to my Kadabra form was like waking up for the first time. But I also knew that if I wanted to be in this form, it would mean I would have to say goodbye to Lucas. I didn't want that,"
"That's true. Your evolutionary line can't reach the final stage without being traded. But weren't you traded before?" Gizmo cocked his head curiously.
"Yes, but I was not attached to my previous Trainer. He seemed like a kind enough boy, and we probably would have become friends over time, but we parted soon after my capture. I love Lucas, reaching this form would have meant losing him. I suppose if I have to find any light in the horror I suffered, it's that I didn't have to leave Lucas to get it," Kazza then added, "And I don't have to tell you that just because you had a previous Trainer doesn't mean you owe the original one any loyalty,"
"That's for sure. I tried and I tried to make my first Trainer love me. I did everything he said, but it just wasn't enough. I thought if I was good and waited at the rock, he'd come back and be happy with me. Now I know he was never going to come back, that all he really was was cruel. It's why I never want to see him again, or leave Lucas. Lucas showed me I was good enough as I am. Even if I can't ever evolve," Gizmo flicked his ears and closed his eyes contently, happy in the knowledge that his Trainer cared for him, and enjoying the sea breeze and sunlight.
Diablo sank his head between his paws and sighed, "I wish I could evolve again. I wish I could evolve into a human and then Lucas would like me best!"
Gizmo hopped down from his rock and shook his head, "Oh not this again! You know perfectly well Pokemon can't evolve into humans,"
Diablo got up and stared the smaller Pokemon down, "I know that! I'm just saying I wish I could. Then he wouldn't spend any time with anyone else and it would be just the two of us. When I was leader of my pack everyone loved and admired me all the time. I am completely devoted to Lucas, it's not fair that he spends any time with anyone else but me. Especially when I love him more than anyone else!"
"You know for perfectly well that isn't true. When you first met Lucas you wanted to attack him because he was trying to stop your pack from doing whatever it wanted," Gizmo huffed.
"And he showed me that he was a worthy adversary, deserving of being my Trainer. He's the only human to ever earn my respect, and thus my loyalty. Just because you ride on his shoulder and were his first Pokemon you think you're so special. You're not! I would do anything for him, no matter the cost. You're just a mascot, barely more than a house pet. You don't deserve Lucas. No one does except me!"
The tiny Eevee didn't back down against the larger Pokemon, "You pompous, stupid puppy! You may not have any forms left, but it's obvious to me you still need to evolve. I've been at Lucas' side since the beginning, and have been even when things get rough. But even I recognize that all the other Pokemon—and humans—in Lucas' life deserve to be there. Not because they're good enough or not, but because they make him happy. And if you cared for him like you think you did then, then you'd see that too. Not growl at anybody that is nice to him or constantly try to shove the rest of us out of the way. All your jealousy does is make Lucas upset and get on the rest of us' nerves. What even makes you so sure that if you were a human that Lucas would even look at you?"
"Because I'd be a much better partner than that Skyler jerk!"
"You take that back about Master Skyler!" Celes whipped angrily in front of the Mightyena, ""Master Skyler is the kindest and most loving person in the world. Your Trainer should be kissing the ground, thanking the stars and the heavens that my Trainer would have anything to do with him!
"All this talk about Trainers. How can you lot talk so positively about a bunch of humans? You saw what they can do to our kind. I don't care how long he trains me, I'm never listening to that thing," the Trapinch Skyler had captured in the desert snarled.
"And yet you allowed yourself to get captured. You know perfectly well a Pokeball won't work unless at least some part of you wants to be captured. And I'm happy to be with Skyler as well. He saved my pack from the bad humans. A Trainer like that might even be able to make me incredibly strong once I evolve. Far stronger than if was on my own," the Bagon added her piece.
"He just got lucky! A few more minutes and I would have made mincemeat of the whole lot of them that came to my territory!" the Trapinch responded back.
"You just keep telling yourself that," the Bagon taunted.
"Listen," Gizmo approached the Trapinch kindly, "I can see from a wild Pokemon's perspective why being a trained Pokemon doesn't seem to make much sense. While once we are captured there isn't much we can do, it's our choice whether we obey our Trainers or not. In battle, we have the right to disregard any of their commands. And some have pride that unless their Trainers can prove their abilities, won't obey at all. I was born in the wild, and I've had two very different kinds of Trainers. Humans have almost as much potential as we do. Sure, they can't change forms like we do, nd they are pretty weak and helpless without us around, and aren't always very smart, but look at all the things they can accomplish. Bad Trainers are as bad as you say, but good ones, like Lucas and Skyler become our friends. They show us worlds beyond where we were born, they let us test and push our natural abilities. When we work with Trainers they help us become as strong as we can. We never have to look for food or worry about getting since or being in danger. If you weren't at least partially curious about the experience, you would have avoided any human interlopers, not confronted them like you did,"
The Trapinch harrumphed, "Well, maybe I was curious about if humans were as strong as they seem. I'm still not convinced that that blue haired twerp is strong enough to handle me,"
"You'll change your mind in time," Kazza added, "There is a reason that we're as much a part of their society as they are of ours,"
"And back to you," Gizmo once again addressed Diablo, "Take it from a Pokemon that can't evolve, whether they want to or not. You need to learn to accept who and what you are. You can't keep acting like Lucas is yours and yours alone, or thinking if you became a human that he'd forget about everyone else in his life. You're part of a team. Your pack survived not just because you were their leader, but because everyone worked together for everyone else. You need to learn it works just that way here, too,"
The Mightyena snorted his displeasure and trotted to another corner of the deck without another word. The Pokemon that remained all let out various sighs and snorts over the stubborn dark types' ideas and continued to talk with one and other. They next moved onto stories about where they came from while Blobby Bob, Tentacruel, Skyler's Kingdra and Gyrados talked about the things they saw as they swam next to the ferry. As evening fell and the Trainers came back to pick up their Pokemon from the deck, Lucas and Skyler's teams excitedly rushed to greet their humans.
As Lucas picked up a zippy Gizmo chirping 'vi, vi, vi', he turned to his boyfriend, "You know, if I had a super power, do you know what I'd want it to be?"
"No, what?" Skyler responded as he patted Celes and his Bagon on the head.
"I'd want to be able to understand what Pokemon where saying. I can only guess what they'd have to tell us,"