A Storm and a Dance
May laid out comfortably on a beach towel near the bow of the ship, sunbathing in a new white and sapphire-blue-striped bikini and a cute pair of sunglasses, something she knew Brendan liked when he saw her walk out of the cabin wearing it. Gwen was lying next to May on her own, slightly smaller towel, and they were both waiting for Brendan to come out of the cabin to join them.
"This is so relaxing," May said with a stretch.
I know. Even though I really can't tan, I love sitting in the sun like this.
"You can't tan?" May asked with intrigue.
No, all Pokémon lack the ability to get tan. I know it's weird. We have the ability to produce and withstand impossibly powerful attacks, yet we can't get tan.
"Seems a bit weird," May said.
"Hey, seems like you two are having a fun conversation," Brendan said as he came up to the bow. He had removed his hat, letting his messy brown hair show, and he wore a ruby red pair of swim trunks. What May noticed most was that he was clearly athletic, because his muscles were all very well defined. Not massive like a Machoke's, but impressive nonetheless, especially his six-pack abs and pecs.
"Hey handsome, and yeah, we were talking about something really interesting. Did you know that Pokémon can't get tan?" May said.
"No, I didn't. That's pretty interesting," Brendan said.
Yeah, it's a shame though. I think that I'd look really good with a tan, Gwen said.
"Well, you may not be able to tan, but I think I can get enough sun for the both of us," Brendan said.
Yeah, then you can really become Goldenrod, Gwen said with the most sass she could muster, earning a high-five from May.
"Haha, you're hilarious!" Brendan said as he laid out his towel and lied down next to May. "But I'm glad the weather is so nice right now. It's been a while since I got the chance to get sun."
Since Gwen wasn't between her and Brendan, May decided to lean over and plant a kiss on his cheek before returning to her back. "I think we should keep enjoying each other's company while we have some privacy," she said.
Ahem! Lovebirds! I'm still sitting over here! Gwen said in a mildly joking tone.
"Sorry Gwen, it was just one kiss," Brendan said.
"Yeah, and don't forget that you're the one who started this," May said to the Kirlia.
Okay, you got me there, Gwen said.
After that, they just sat and enjoyed the sun while the boat kept moving toward their destination. This lasted for a few hours, but then they felt the wind become cold, and the sun was covered with dark ominous clouds. "Ah damn it, looks like there's a storm coming," Brendan said.
"Aye, there be a storm approachin' fast. Ye three should get below the deck before it hits. Peecko and I will be in the cabin, so I can keep the boat away from and rocks," Mr. Briney said as he came to the bow.
"Yeah, we'll take your advice there," May said as she rolled up her towel, Brendan and Gwen following suit. They walked back into the cabin and down the staircase to get below deck, and not a moment too soon. As soon as they got into the cabin, which was very nicely furnished, the downpour began.
"Well that wasn't a moment too soon. Now, you three get yerselves comfortable down there, and don't worry about a thing. Peecko an' I have our share of rough weather," Mr. Briney said as the teenagers went below the deck.
Gwen leapt onto the top bunk on the right, above Brendan's side of the room. Let's hope this boat can stay steady on a rough sea, she said.
"Motion sickness?" Brendan asked.
No, but I don't particularly like being thrown around like a ragdoll, Gwen said.
"I understand," Brendan said with a slight smile. He then felt the fabric of a bikini top pressing into his back as May hugged him from behind. "And what are you doing there, May?" he asked in a joking tone.
"Oh, I just wanted to warm up a little bit, and you looked really inviting," May said sweetly.
Brendan smiled, he grabbed her arms, pulled them apart and spun her around so they were facing each other. "I think we will both be warmer this way," Brendan said as he wrapped his left arm around May's back, and placed his right hand on her head, hugging her tightly.
May sighed happily as Brendan held her, enjoying how close she was with him. That was when Gwen decided to join in. Hey, I'm cold too, so I'm joining in the hug, she said as she leapt from the bed and onto Brendan's back and began hugging her trainer and May.
"We should sit down in case the waves get rough," Brendan said.
"Why don't we just lie down on a bed? The storm looked pretty large, and I get the feeling we will be down here for the rest of the night," May asked as she kissed Brendan on the cheek. Brendan smiled at May, and the two walked over to the lowest bunk, where they both laid down. Brendan was on his back, his right arm wrapped around May's shoulder while she was laying facedown with both her head and her left hand resting on Brendan's right pec. Gwen decided to grab herself three blankets, and she climbed up to the bunk directly above Brendan and May, handing one blanket to the couple.
I'll be up here if you two need anything, Gwen said.
"Alright Gwen, if you fall asleep, then we won't wake you up," Brendan said as he covered both himself and May with the blanket.
Thanks Goldenrod, you're so sweet, Gwen said as she wrapped herself in two thick, soft white blankets, set her head on her pillow, and started to relax. The three sat and listened to the rain battering the roof of the boat as it came down steadily. The tapping rain eventually lulled them all into a peaceful sleep.
Brendan woke up slowly, feeling a familiar weight and warmth on his chest, and he smiled as he stroked May's hair lightly. She shifted her weight, rubbing the side of her face against his chest.
Oh, you're finally awake! Gwen said only to him.
Hey, do you know where we are and what time it is? Brendan replied.
It's time for you to get a watch, Gwen said, earning an eye-roll from Brendan. It's about ten in the morning. And the good news is that the storm ended a couple hours ago. We're anchored within half a day of Dewford now. The storm gave us a really strong tailwind, so we gained a lot of time. Mr. Briney thought it best if he let us sleep here while he and Peecko slept on the couches in the cabin, Gwen said.
Wow, that was awfully kind of him, Brendan thought. That was when May began to wake up; her hand moving to her eye's rubbing it as she returned to consciousness.
"Hey, did we seriously sleep like this all night?" May asked.
"I think so. And I slept better than I ever have before," Brendan said.
"Same here. Your chest is really comfortable," May said.
You two are so cute. I'm going up to the deck to get some fresh air and some breakfast. See you up there soon, Gwen said as she left the cabin.
Brendan turned to May. "Well, I can go into the cabin and wait for you to get dressed, or we could do it the other way around. It's your choice."
"I think I'll go first," May said as she sat up, letting Brendan get up and walk into the cabin.
Hey, you're up already? Gwen said from the small card table as she took a bite of a Pecha berry.
"Yeah, May wanted to get changed into her normal clothes before we arrive in Dewford," Brendan said as he grabbed a small carton of orange juice and a pre-packaged blueberry muffin, joining Gwen at the table.
Mmm, and I suppose that you'll be doing the same when she's done, Gwen said as she took another bite of her Pecha Berry.
Brendan sat and ate, enjoying some time alone with Gwen while they talked about unimportant topics, but at the same time they made a world of difference. Since they had left from Littleroot, they'd had next to no time to without May nearby. Even though neither of them would dream of traveling without May, both Brendan and Gwen had to admit that this time was important to them. They enjoyed every second of their conversation, strengthening their bond as much more than just trainer and Pokémon; despite their banter, both Brendan and Gwen saw each other more as siblings, and it was getting stronger.
Hey Brendan, I've been wondering when Nikki is going to evolve, Gwen said.
"I'm not sure," Brendan said. "But it shouldn't be much longer."
That's good, she's going to be very strong when she evolves.
"Really?" Brendan said after eating the last of his muffin.
Yeah, you should check your Pokédex. It will show you what she evolves into.
"Not a bad idea," Brendan said as he opened the Pokédex, searching for Slakoth. "Let's see; it says here that Slakoths evolve into Vigoroth, which then evolve into Slaking. It says that a Slaking is among the most powerful physical attackers in the Pokémon world. It even rivals Machamp in sheer power."
Yeah, and I have seen trainers with all three when I was exploring outside my village, and I once saw a Slaking punch an opponent once and it won with just that hit, Gwen said.
"Well damn, that sounds dangerously powerful," May said as she entered the cabin in her normal travel attire.
Oh, hey May! You look refreshed, Gwen said.
"I wish I could have had a shower, but it'll have to do until we get to Dewford," May said with a laugh as she grabbed a carton of orange juice and a banana nut muffin for her breakfast.
"You look beautiful, even without the shower," Brendan said, causing May to blush.
"Uhmm, thanks," was all that May could manage to say with her flushed state. "And you're good to get dressed."
Brendan stood up and went below deck, closing the door as he went. Meanwhile, May sat at the table with Gwen.
"I can't believe how much has changed in so little time," May said as she took a sip of the juice.
Yeah, neither can I. It's strange to think that about three weeks ago I was still wandering around on my own in the wild, Gwen said. And now I have two of the best human friends a Pokémon could hope for, and I'm friends with five of the coolest Pokémon I've ever met.
May smiled. "And you've evolved too," she said. "And it was amazing how you did it to save Brendan and me."
Yeah, that too, Gwen said as she finished her Pecha Berry. It just makes me wonder how much more is going to change as we go farther.
"I guess that only time will tell," May said as Brendan re-entered the cabin with his traveling outfit on.
"Ah, good, yer all awake," Mr. Briney said as he entered the cabin. "I was just about to continue our trip and get us to Dewford."
"Great to hear," Brendan said.
"And we should be arrivin' in around four hours," Mr. Briney said.
Sweet, I can't wait to get on that beach, Gwen said with a joyful smile.
"Aye, 'tis a thing o' beauty that island," Mr. Briney said as he went toward the steering block. "Ye won't be disappointed. Now, I'll start the boat, raise the anchor, and we'll be on our way." True to his word, Mr. Briney started the boat's engine, hit a button to raise the anchor, and began driving. "We should arrive in Dewford within four hours," Mr. Briney said.
The ride was cut short by less than an hour due to both a helpful tailwind and a slight current that propelled them toward their destination. When they rounded the final turn before Dewford's docks, Brendan and May could tell that it was a beautiful place. There were palm trees and more tropical fauna around a mixture of luxury hotels and simple huts made from palm leaves and wood. Then there were multiple t-shirt and surfing shops, with large umbrellas scattered around the shoreline.
"Well, that was a great trip," Brendan said with a smile as they pulled in to a dock and disembarked. "Thanks for your help Mr. Briney."
"Any time, m' boy," he said as he wrote something down and handed it to May. "Here's my number, call me when yer ready to go to Slateport."
"Thanks, we won't take too long," May said. "Three days at the most."
"Take yer time, this island is a good spot to relax and have fun," Mr. Briney said. "I'll see you later young'uns." With that, Gwen led the way from the docks, across the beach, to the Pokémon Center.
Along the way, they got a little lost, unfortunately, and they eventually decided to ask for directions. The nearest person they found was dressed in light clothing for the more tropical weather, and he wore sunglasses.
"Excuse me, sir," Brendan said, catching the man's attention, and causing his expression to brighten considerably.
"Why hello there! You're new around here," he said.
"Yes, we are, and w-" May said, only to be cut off.
"Well, have you heard about Feebas Victory? It's the most hip and happening thing around," he said.
Brendan and May just responded with blank stares. What is this guy smoking? Gwen asked the two trainers, who just shrugged.
"Oh you haven't heard about Feebas Victory? You two must have been living under a rock your entire lives. Or is there something more hip and happening where you're from?" he asked.
"Uh, we don't know what you're talking about, we're just trying to find the Pokémon Center," May said.
"Oh, um it's about a two minute walk that way," the man said, pointing to the southern part of the island. "But if you don't know about Feebas Victory, what's the hippest, most happening thing where you're from?"
Brendan was drawing a blank and he could see this man wouldn't leave him alone until an answer was given. Say something ridiculous like Epic Magikarp, Gwen said.
"Umm, I'd say that the most happening thing where I'm from is Epic Magikarp," Brendan said, knowing full well that it was just nonsense.
"Oh, uhhh, yeah, of course I've heard of Epic Magikarp. I mean come on, Epic Magikarp is easily the most hip and happening thing," the man said.
"You just said that Feebas Victory was the most hip and happening thing," May said.
"Come on, Feebas Victory is so five minutes ago," he replied as if that should be completely obvious. "Epic Magikarp is all the rage now."
"Okay, well, you have a good day," Brendan said as he led May and Gwen to the Pokémon Center before this guy's craziness began to make sense.
Thankfully, the man had been accurate with his directions to the Pokémon Center, since it only took two minutes to get there. When they got there, they saw that it was relatively empty other than the Chansey and Nurse Joy.
"Oh, hello there, welcome to Dewford Town," the Nurse said with a smile. "How may I help you both today?"
"We'd like to get a room for two people and one Pokémon," May replied cheerfully.
"Well, you're the only ones here right now, so I will give you our best room," the Nurse said as she gave two room keys to Brendan and May. "It's got three queen-sized beds, and the bathroom has both a shower and a bathtub."
"Wow, that's really nice of you," Brendan said.
"It's no problem at all, I just want to make your stay with us as enjoyable as possible," Joy said.
"Well thank you," May said.
"Your room is at the end of the hall on the left. Also, be sure to watch the sunset tonight. They are really beautiful on this island," Nurse Joy said.
"Thanks, we will enjoy the sights," Brendan said.
"Oh, and since this is a resort site, many of the visitors and residents have parties on nice nights. There is probably going to be one tonight if you two want to go," Nurse Joy said.
"Sounds like fun," May said.
I want to go too! Gwen said enthusiastically. I love to party!
"So I guess that's where we're going tonight," Brendan said as they went to their room. Gwen took Brendan's key and skipped down the hall toward the room. Brendan just shook his head and laughed as he followed his Pokémon, with May not far behind.
In two hours' time, Brendan and May were dressed in nicer clothes for a party. Brendan wore a purple short-sleeved, collared, button-down shirt with khaki shorts. May wore a short blue dress and some light makeup. Gwen just brushed her green hair to make it shine and look pretty. While it was unlikely that she would meet a male Kirlia here, well you never know what will happen at parties like this one.
"Alright, the sun's about to set, you two ready to head out?" Brendan asked.
"Yep, let's go," May said.
Then let's go, Gwen said. With that, they all left the room and began to walk toward the beach. The walk took only a few minutes before they could see the outdoor bar, and they could hear both the conversation and the music playing. The crowd was relatively small, but that was no problem. Brendan preferred smaller crowds, since it made it harder to lose his friends.
"Seems the party is already getting started," May said.
"Yeah, seems like it. Let's get in there," Brendan said.
May and Gwen didn't need to be told twice as they followed Brendan to the bar, and the tender looked up at them.
"What're you drinking?" he asked.
"I'll have a margarita," May said, knowing that the drinking age in Hoenn was eighteen.
"I'll have a rum and Coke. And the Kirlia will have Oran Berry Juice," Brendan said. The bartender checked their IDs, nodded, and mixed their drinks quickly.
"Here you are," the man said. Brendan paid for the drinks, and they joined the crowd.
The DJ was playing really good songs tonight, mostly modern music like dubstep and hip hop. While Brendan and May were dancing with Gwen between them, the night took a turn. A large and muscular guy, who looked about twenty years old, approached May.
"Hey baby, you know you should get yourself a real man," he said as he began to get closer to May, disregarding May's uncomfortable expression. "Let me show you what you're missing with this scrawny kid."
"Not interested. Please leave me alone," May said.
"Hey, don't be like that. I get it, my good looks are intimidating. Why don't I buy you a drink?"
Brendan stepped forward. "Hey, she asked you to leave her alone. Now leave her alone," he said.
"Get lost loser. This doesn't concern you," he said.
"It sure as hell does concern me, considering you're antagonizing my girlfriend," Brendan said.
The guy just laughed. "Yeah right; there's no way a punk like you could get a dime like her," he said.
Hey jerk, back off, she's not interested, Gwen said.
"Aw, and now a talking Kirlia thinks she has any power here," he laughed. By now, the scene was drawing attention from the crowd.
"BATTLE HIM!" said somebody in the crowd.
"That's not a bad idea," the twenty-year-old said, letting May run to Brendan's side. "I challenge you to a Pokémon Battle. If I win, you let me take the girl. You win, I'll leave!"
"May, are you okay with those terms?" Brendan asked. He would not agree to this if May didn't agree first.
"Put him in his place," May said. Brendan got a serious look in his eyes as he faced his opponent.
"What type of battle will this be?" Brendan asked.
"This is a one-on-one battle," the guy said.
That's when the DJ got on his microphone. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have a battle on our hands. Lucky for everybody here, I'm a league certified referee, so this will be an official match, it's one-on-one, now let's get this started!" he said enthusiastically as he stepped out from his equipment set up. "This battle is going to be between the local battler, Tony, and a newcomer to Dewford." He held out the microphone to Brendan. "What's your name, man?"
"Brendan Maple," Brendan said.
"So it is Tony vs. Brendan. Both battlers, send out your Pokémon
"Come on out, Nate!" he said, sending out a Tentacool.
"Let's go Nikki!" Brendan said. The young Slakoth appeared, and she seemed very energized.
"Alright, it's a Slakoth against a Tentacool. Begin the battle!" the DJ said.
"Nikki, use Yawn," Brendan said calmly. Nikki yawned widely, sending a wave of energy at Nate. When it hit the Tentacool, the jellyfish Pokémon became drowsy quickly.
"Nate, use Poison Sting!" Tony said. The Tentacool spat out a single barb covered in purple sludge at Nikki.
"Roll to the left!" Brendan called out. Nikki did as she was told, casually rolling to the left as the toxic barb hit the sand. "Now Feint Attack!" Nikki then vanished from sight, only to reappear behind Tentacool and punch him in the back.
The reaction from Tentacool was lackluster, as he was already asleep. "Damn it Nate, wake up!" Of course, Nate was in dreamland so he couldn't hear Tony's calls.
"Nikki, use Scratch to finish this!" Brendan said. Nikki stood up and ran at the jellyfish Pokémon, slashing it across the face with both of her claws, sending it rolling. When it came to a rest, it was clear that Nate had been knocked out.
"And this battle is over. Brendan Maple is the winner!" the DJ said. "Now, unfortunately for Tony, it's time for him to hold up his end of the bargain and leave the bar for the night." With a string of curses, Tony reluctantly left the bar, not to be seen again that night, while the DJ went back to his equipment. That was when Gwen got an idea, so she followed the DJ, a music request in mind.
Once he left, Nikki began to give her own version of a victory shriek. As she was cheering, her body began to glow brightly. She grew until she was around 5' tall, her arms got longer and looked stronger than before. When the glowing ceased, a proud Vigoroth appeared in full.
"ALRIGHT NIKKI! I'm so proud of you," Brendan said as he hugged the sloth Pokémon.
"Vigoro!" she said in a deeper voice than before. She then tapped Brendan's Pokéball, and smiled as she returned to her capsule.
That was when Brendan was pulled around, only to receive a kiss from May. "Thanks for helping me out there," she said when they broke the kiss.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, grab somebody special to you, because it's time for us to slow things down with Faithfully by Journey," the DJ said. Brendan looked around and saw Gwen by the DJ's booth with a smile on her face. Gwen merely winked and Brendan knew that she had requested this, and he couldn't agree more that it was the perfect song for the moment. The song began, so he held May close, and they danced the night away.
Thank you for reading. As with the previous chapter, I am taking submissions for OCs for the League tournament. If you choose to send an OC to me, include the character's:
Name:
Physical Appearance:
Personality:
Team and Ace Pokémon (Please limit legendaries, if any, and keep the teams balanced):
Hometown (From any of the main games, or the Orre region):
Battle Style:
Backstory (if you want):
If you come up with an OC, please PM me.
