"TOPAZ! AMBER! JAMES! MASON!" Sam squealed out as the said four stepped down from a Fearrow and a Salamance (Mason's) on Steven's lawn.
Watching them from the doorway, Steven grumbled, "Who made my lawn a landing pad?"
"Don't be such a grouch, Stevie…" Phoebe said, shaking her head, exasperated. "You should be happy that Sam's happy; and she's agreeing to help Skye! See, it all works out."
"Yeah, but now I'm stuck with all of Z's playmates," Steven said, pointing a hand towards the group of little Pokemon. They looked back at him innocently.
As Sam rushed forward for a hug, she marvelled at how much everyone had changed.
Topaz, who used to be Ms. No-Emotions-Whatsoever, or the more quiet one, had had her once wavy hair straightened, and now it was all the way to her waist. She also showed much more happiness now. She was wearing a sleeveless black t-shirt, with a denim mini skirt. She beamed at Sam. "It's great to see you again! So, this is kind of like a mini-reunion, huh?"
James had changed a lot – considering the way he used to dress. From red shirt and blue shorts with shaggy brown hair, he went to a royal blue shirt, and black jeans. His brown hair had been cut short, but not short-short, just enough. And did we mention the little golden hoop in his right ear? He gave Sam a little squeeze. "Wow, Sam, you're all grown up," he teased.
"Well, just look at yourself!" Sam replied. She hadn't seen the entire gang for like a year. "You look like you just jumped out of some reality show that specializes in ultimate make overs or something!" she laughed.
Mason was considerably more cool than he had been the first time he had seen Sam. His hair was still the same, but his royal-blue eyes twinkled at her from behind wired rims. He was wearing a short sleeved gray shirt (that showed off some buffed-up biceps) and pants. He gave Sam a little salute, then hugged her. "Nice to see you again," Mason said, smiling at her.
Amber, still as sunny as ever, still had her hair done in waves. She was wearing a light pink t-shirt, jeans, and her hair in long wavy pigtails. Still preppy; still Amber. She grinned at Sam and hugged her tightly. "I missed you so much!"
Sam smiled at 'the old gang', and turned to Erin, who was next to her. "Guys, this is Erin Hunter. She's gonna be the new member of the Elite Four. We've been friends since I was like, twelve, and she's coming along for the trip." She watched as everyone seemed to radiate friendship towards Erin, and she was happy about that. She leaned in closer to Topaz and Amber. "Bonus point: she's also the potential match for a certain Skylar Storne," she whispered.
Amber grinned. "Finally. I like her," she said, smiling. "And she seems genuine enough. I've wanted Skye to find happiness for a while."
"Ditto," Topaz replied. "How are things with Gary, anyway?"
"Still same old, same old. He's sweet, funny, and still arrogant at the same time." Sam laughed. "The Gary I love."
Gary and Skye had stepped out of the house and were greeting the guys, too. Topaz and Amber also gave their friendly hugs to Skye and Gary.
"Looks like we'll be going on this super-long vacation!" Amber grinned, wrapping her arms around Sam and Topaz's shoulders. "Think of this: it'll be like we're stuck on this paradise island reality show."
"Or…" Topaz said thoughtfully. "It could kinda be like Survivor."
"Is it just me, or is everybody talking about reality shows now?" Mason asked.
"Besides, guys…" Skye sighed. "I kinda think that what Amber's saying is what's gonna go closest to what we'll be experiencing."
"A paradise island?" Erin asked. "Really?"
"Well, I kind of overheard where they were supposed to house me and Sam. And it's like on an island named… Palm Tree Island." (A/N: Totally fictional. This doesn't exist in real life. And when you find out what's on this island, you'll want to wish it was real. I hope.)
James looked incredulous. "Not Palm Tree Island. That's… that's a private island owned by… someone I don't know."
Skye had a wry smile on his face. "Well… it seems like Agatha owns that island."
"No."
"Way." Amber and Topaz gaped at Skye.
"Agatha owns an island?" Sam exclaimed. "Does she really have time to go there or anything?"
"She uses it for a training ground," Skye explained. "And thought that it'd be functional for us…" he looked around at the group. "Eight."
"This is the kind of vacation I've been dreaming about since I was twelve," Amber said, eyes sparkling. "A paradise island? This is gonna rule!"
"You guys get to relax," Sam said, sighing. "I have to teach Skye how to control the Spirit Sage. I don't even know how to do that."
"You can do it," Gary reassured her, squeezing her shoulder.
(-)
My dad.
You guys ruined my dad and everything he worked for.
I won't forgive you for that.
Ever.
A shadowy figure in a room clenched its fist as it looked at the video screen, watching as everyone mingled.
(-)
"Right." Steven looked at the eight youth who would be going to Palm Tree island while he got to stay here watching all of Zoey's baby Pokemon team. Figures. "So you're taking Sidney's jet plane to the… why are you all looking at me like that?"
"Sidney has a jetplane?" Sam asked incredulously. "Is it just me or are you guys so rich?"
"We have excellent pay," Steven said with a secret smile.
"You're so lucky," Amber whispered to Erin.
"Anyway, like I was saying, you'll be taking Sidney's jet plane to the island. You'll reach Palm Tree island in about five hours. Yes, it's that far away, and you're not coming back until Skye's under control."
"Skye?" Topaz asked sweetly.
"Hm?"
"Could you not learn how to control the Spirit Sage?"
(-)
"This rocks," James said in awe. The jet plane was private. It landed on Steven's lawn, all long and sparkly white and shiny, with two butlers inside and unlimited drinks and food and comfortable chairs.
"Can we just live on the jet plane?" Erin asked, eyes practically turning into stars.
Mason tsked at all of them. "All of you are blinded by riches, and money and private jets and islands and-" his eyes turned as wide as saucers. "Is that the new Playstation Seven and the new version of Wii: the Next Wii Generation?" He dove towards the game stations, almost drooling.
"Mason! How is that showing any dignity to us men?" Skye asked.
"I," Topaz smiled. "Am going to sit here reading all the new books they stocked here."
"The view is awesome," Erin said, perching herself on a window seat (that literally faced the window), sipping a can of Sprite.
"No… kidding," James said excitedly. "They have a battle arena here. On the jet. Can you get any cooler?"
"You. Me. Battle. Now," Skye grinned hugely at James.
"I get to battle the winner," Amber sang, as she followed them.
"Hey, Mason," Gary called out. "Are you playing Jak and Daxter 5?"
"Actually, it's number six."
"Whatever, can I play too?"
"Sure," Mason said. "The Wii version of JAD 6 is just awesome." He swung his remote a bit.
Sam smiled. Her friends (and boyfriend) were just so diverse in their likes and dislikes. It was what she absolutely loved about them, anyway.
The purple eyed young woman joined Topaz in the reading corner, dragging an orange beanbag chair along with her. Topaz looked at Sam over the top of her book, and she smiled. "Everyone knocking themselves out because of this thing?"
"Yeah," Sam said, smiling. "Gary and Mason are on the New Wii Generation thing, Erin's checking out the view, and James, Skye and Amber are checking out the battle arena."
"They have a battle arena here?" Topaz's eyes widened. "No way!"
"Better believe it," Sam said. "How have you guys been holding up, anyway?"
Topaz put her book to the side, and made her position more comfortable. "Well… James and I have one apartment each on the Orange Islands," she said. "It's actually a pretty good place to see and be seen. Amber's living somewhere in Goldenrod City. She has a part time job there as a teacher… Mason's settled in La Rousse. He's become a techno geek because of that place," Topaz smirked. "And just in case you were wondering, they pull off the long distance thing pretty well."
Sam sighed. "It's amazing, isn't it? I mean, we started off as seven teenagers who didn't know a thing, and now we can boast that we've each seen almost all species of legendary Pokemon, and have rode at least one."
"I never thought I'd be able to do that," Topaz said, sounding distracted.
"Me, either," Sam chuckled. "I didn't even think I'd save the world some day."
"I never thought I'd be helping," Topaz grinned.
(-)
"NO! NO! How did you do that? That's impossible! It's a cheat! It has to be a cheat!" Mason yowled as Gary pounded Mason's character into the dust in Street Fighter Five; the virtual reality version.
"It is a cheat," Gary said smugly. "Ha. I've won! And you have to do the consequence…" he drawled out.
"Ugh," Mason said bitterly.
"Guys! Wanna see Mason dance?" Gary called out.
Amber, James and Skye stepped out of the battle arena, a Ninetails and an Azumarill, Amber and Skye's, accordingly. "He's gonna dance?" Amber laughed.
Gary unrolled the Dance Dance Revolution mat and chose the song 'Barbie Girl'. Mason groaned. "Gary, this is a joke, right?"
(-)
"This is your pilot speaking, and I'd like to announce that we have landed safely in Palm Tree island."
The eight trainers stepped out of the jet, and saw the beautiful scenery, and the beach.
"Am I dead?" James asked.
"Excuse me?" Topaz rose her eyebrows.
"This is heaven."
"Bad joke, James," Topaz smirked.
"Guys!"
A familiar, cheery voice caught their attention, and out of a clump of trees came Wallace and Winona. Winona waved. "Hey! Haven't seen you guys since the wedding!"
"Winona!" Sam smiled. "Wallace, hey!"
"What are you guys doing here?" Gary asked.
"We're the adult supervision," Winona said, with a serious look on her face.
Everybody's faces blanched.
"I told Steven that we weren't kids anymore!" Sam growled underneath her breath.
"Chill, Sammie," Winona said, laughing. "I was just kidding. We're here on vacation. Most of the other Gym Leaders and Elite Four take vacations here. Agatha told us you'd be arriving and that we weren't allowed to disturb you guys or anything, but if you need someone to hang out with, I'm always free!"
"Awesome," Amber grinned. "I've missed you guys a whole bunch!"
"Same here," Wallace said, smiling.
"When's the wedding?" James asked evilly.
"James!" Topaz scolded.
"What?" James pointed at Winona's hand. "A silver band with twin rubies on it is not just a friendship ring."
"Ohmygosh, James is right!" Sam gasped.
Winona tsked. "And I was thinking of announcing it during dinner later. Oh well. Yeah, there's a wedding. Actually, it's here, on the island. And you're all invited."
"We're hosting a big dinner later tomorrow evening. Everyone on the island is coming. You should go, too." Wallace smiled. "But first, I have to congratulate the newest member of the Elite Four…"
Erin blushed modestly. "It isn't official yet, Wallace…" she protested weakly.
"All the same, you're a new member, and I haven't been able to congratulate you. As a matter of fact… I'd like to battle you." Wallace smiled.
"Oh, really?" Erin asked, eyes lighting up.
"But first, you might wanna settle in. The hotel is… oh, let me show you the way," Winona said, and started walking.
"Did she say hotel?" Amber whispered to Erin.
"I guess so," the redhead replied, grinning.
"I thought we'd be staying in grass huts, or sleeping under the stars," James quipped.
(-)
"This is the hotel, guys! Five-star restaurants, facilities, and much more!"
"Oh."
"My."
"God."
Amber, Topaz, and Erin's mouths hung open. "Can I live here?" Sam asked.
"Well, you will be living here," Winona said, smiling. "It's pretty awesome, isn't it?" The lobby was just something to look at. The glass chandelier that hung above them was probably as big as a Wailmer. The floors of the lobby were a polished marble; the walls were smooth and dark. And the ambience in the place just screamed 'WHOA'.
"This is just… over the top," Mason choked out.
"No, it isn't." Winona rolled her eyes. "Wait until you see the rooms. Agatha said that you guys would be sharing rooms… Erin and Sam, Gary and Skye, Mason and James, and Amber and Topaz. Your rooms will be side to side and connected via a little side door."
"Okay, good so far," James said slowly.
"Your rooms are… shall we say… personalized to fit your needs." An employee at the hotel, whose nametag read 'Alex', smiled at them. He was a bit tall, with threads of gray hair running through his brown hair. He had a slight British accent. "Welcome to the hotel. I'm an old friend of Agatha… and Winona's father."
The eight younger ones looked back and forth from Winona to Alex, trying to see a resemblance, and they saw one; in the eyes.
"Nice to meet you, sir," Mason said politely.
James rolled his eyes. "Suck-up," he whispered loud enough for Mason to hear.
"I've heard a lot about all of you," Alex said, eyes crinkling as he smiled. "Gary… Topaz… Amber… Mason… James… Skye… and of course, Ms. Stone," he said, nodding his head towards Sam. "And who hasn't heard of the remarkable Miss Hunter?" he gestured towards Erin. "She's superb at battles. You should watch one of hers."
"Actually, sir, we were planning on using the battle arena by the beach," Wallace said. "I want to battle-test Erin."
Alex held up a hand. "Please, Wallace, as a my future son-in-law, just adress me as 'Alex', or 'dad'." He smiled.
"Right… Alex…" Wallace said softly. Winona grinned and squeezed her fiance's hand.
"Dad, I'll show them to their rooms, okay?"
"Sure, Winona…" Alex said, and waved at him as they walked away.
"He's sort of a care-taker," Winona explained as they walked away. "Agatha's not here most of the time, though she's the owner of this entire island, so she left it in dad's care. And he's been taking pretty good care of it," she said, as they stepped inside the elevator.
"Do we get a penthouse suite or something?" James asked.
"Actually… you get four rooms on the third floor," Winona stuck a tongue out at him. "But really nice rooms, like I said." The elevator opened. "Dad makes sure that each room is designed specifically for those who are rooming in it."
"How?" Gary asked, who had strangely been quiet since they got off the plane.
"You'll see," Winona said with a little smile on her face.
(-)
"Okay, Zoey."
Steven stood in front of his daughter, a confident smile on his face. The other Pokemon were surrounding her, looking in awe at their little master's dad.
"If you're going to have this many Pokemon, I'm going to have to teach you how to battle."
"She's only two, Steven," Phoebe reminded him wearily from her chair, as she turned the pages of a new magazine.
"She'll be turning three in September, which is three months from now!" Steven protested, then turned back to Zoey. "Alright, Zo… pick a Pokemon."
Zoey looked at him for a long time. "When Sasa coming back?"
He groaned. "I don't know, sweetie, but when she gets back, you're gonna surprise her because you know how to battle already!"
The two year old shook her head. "No battle."
Phoebe chuckled, enjoying the 'bonding' that could only come from a father-daughter day. Steven ignored his wife.
"Why?"
"Contest," Zoey said simply. Steven couldn't believe his ears.
"Contests? You want to be a coordinator?" he asked.
"Pretty lights. Nona good. Me like it," was Zoey's reply, as her eyes shone. Steven remembered that Winona had joined an unofficial contest in Fortree and had invited the family. The pretty lights that Zoey was probably referring to was Skarmory's Steel Wing.
"So… the daughter of a member of the Elite Four and the Champion won't battle, but likes contests," Phoebe said, grinning. "That's so cute."
Steven pouted. "She'll get over it," he said, sighing. "Some day."
(-)
"I think I'm a dreaming," Sam said softly, as she and Erin entered their room.
It was almost like an apartment, with a living room with a sixty-inch plasma TV on the wall, comfy couches, and upon closer inspection – a kitchen, with a stocked the fridge. Sam and Erin had their own room inside the apartment-slash-room. There was a bathroom, too, somewhere in the middle of two other doors that seemed to be Sam and Erin's bedrooms.
Sam's room had light lavender walls, and fluffy purple carpeting. Her bed had a nice, soft and fluffy comforter with purple hearts, and with soft pillows. There was a book shelf filled with books, and a computer with the ultimate internet access in it, and really cool games.
She smiled when she saw a poster mounted on the wall – it was an enlarged picture of her and Gary, together.
"Sam! Is this awesome or WHAT?" Erin squealed from the next room.
Erin's room wasn't coated in purple, as Sam's had been. The walls were painted a light blue, with stripes of darker blue, and Sam realized that the walls were actually… waves. As if they were about to crash down on them. The floor was wooden. Erin's bed had a seashell pillow on it, with a bedspread with a bubbly design. Erin's room had a little grooming corner, so she could brush and tidy up her Pokemon, and on a wall were some professional-looking pictures of Erin in battles and contests.
"You love the sea, don't you?" Sam smiled, looking at Erin's pictures.
"Love-love-love it," Erin grinned. "This is just so cool! It's my dream room! Lemme see yours!"
(-)
Topaz and Amber's room had the same set-up as Sam and Erin's (the living room and the bathroom and the kitchen and refrigerator, anyway), and they were thrilled with their own rooms.
Topaz's room was painted black, with yellow zigzags that seemed to be like lightning. The carpeting was just a simple black color, but she liked it. Her bedsheet was just plain black, but turned out that the blanket was actually satin. There was a reading corner for her, just like Sam's, and a perfect view of the ocean, framed by a few palm trees.
Amber's room was completely the opposite of Topaz's. The wall design was a light pink and dark pink polka dot design, and the floor was also carpeted with a light pink material. There was a picture of her and Mason on the wall, on her desk was a computer. In the corner was a little counter with a mirror on it, and when Amber opened the drawers, they were stocked with make-up. "I can die happy," Amber gasped.
(-) (Let's keep in mind that the guys also have a living room, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a stocked ref, with a sixty-inch plasma screen)
"This is really, really, really over the top," Mason said, but he wasn't sure if he liked it or not.
James rolled his eyes. "I wonder what the rooms look like."
James's room was exactly fit him and what he was.
The wall was painted gray, but colorful speech bubbles were also painted on the walls. On the speech bubbles were some of the worst funny jokes Mason had ever read. James's bedspread was also the same, with bad jokes and the like. There was picture of him and Topaz on the wall, and on the other side, was a little grooming corner for his Pokemon.
"Hey, hey, Mason," James grinned wolfishly at his friend. "What do you call a tree that you can hold in your hand?" he asked, reading from the wall.
Mason rolled his eyes. "I don't know, what?"
"A palm tree!" James cackled. "That was so-"
"Bad joke," Mason interrupted him, and walked over to his room.
Mason's walls were painted a dark orange, with abstract designs repeating themselves over and over again. His bedsheet was also orange, with huge fluffy pillows. In the corner, there was what Mason thought to be a reading corner, but when he got closer, the 'books' turned out to be shelves and shelves of video games for the Wii, PS7, X-box 360 squared, and other game systems. "Oh… my… god," Mason choked out. There was a little sticky-note attached to the bookshelf.
Mr. Rider,
These games can be played on the game systems that are available in your living room. Have fun!
-Maintenance.
"Awesome," Mason grinned.
(-)
Gary and Skye, being the modest guys that they were, weren't expecting much. When they saw the sixty-inch plasma screen, they thought that that was probably it; the only fun they had been given. Boy, were they wrong.
Skye's room was painted with red and gray vertical stripes, with a wooden floor. His bed was covered with a plain white and red bedsheet, with red pillows. On his desk were notebooks and pens and other loose papers. He smiled. He loved writing. Whoever designed his room knew him well. There were also a few Pokemon care books on the shelves, along with a few mystery and horror novels.
Gary's laughter came to Skye's attention. "What is it, Gary?"
In Gary's hand was a stuffed doll with black yarn for hair, clipped to the side with purple clips, wearing a white skort and a black sleeveless hoodie. Skye gave him a questioning look. "Why are they giving you a doll?"
"Look closer."
Skye looked, and realized, when he saw the dolls purple eyes, that this doll was in resemblance to Sam. He laughed. "They really know you, hm?"
Gary shrugged. "I just found her on my bed."
"Let me take a look at your room," Skye said.
Gary's walls were painted with designs of chibi Pokemon – Gary's Pokemon, of course, with a dark green background. The carpeting was also a dark green, matching his bedsheets and pillows. A poster of him and Sam was hung on the wall, right above the desk. On his desk was a computer, and some books. "It's simple," Gary said. "But nice."
"Dark green?" Skye looked at the drawing of a Flygon in flight. "I always thought of you to be a… gray, or something."
"I like that color," Gary said, rolling his eyes.
(-)
The gang met downstairs again, Gary bringing his doll, to show to Sam. She grinned when she saw it. "Tell me that isn't what I think it is," she said, eyes lighting up. "A doll? That looks like me?"
"Yeah," Gary said, smiling in spite of himself. "I found it on my bed. Isn't she cute?"
"Totally!" Sam said, laughing. "Wait, why don't I have a Gary doll?"
"Because his hair was hard to design onto a stuffed toy," Winona replied from behind her. "Don't worry. We can make you a Barbie doll that looks like Gary."
"No thanks," Sam said, turning around to look at Winona. Wallace was next to her, but his attention was on Erin.
"Ready?"
"Like I'll ever be," Erin replied. "Where are we gonna battle?"
"There's a battle arena near here, it's sort of like a beach arena thing. There's land and water available, so I can work with mine while you work with yours."
"Great," Erin smiled. "Let's do this."
(-)
Second chapter: DONE!
Alright guys, how is it so far? Hope you like it…
Erin vs. Wallace is coming up next!
And I put in another villain, because I felt like it. So… who's it gonna be this time?
See you in the next chapter!
Ja~
