Thanks to the past readers, you guys are awesome. -thumbs up-
Okay, this chapter is full of more angst on Jasmine's behalf, more comedy on Lyra and Marril's behalf, and fluff from the main pairing this time. So, after the disclaimer, let's get this ball rolling towards MikanXKotone.
Lyra parts are in 3rd person; Jasmine parts are in 1st person. So it may get confusing at first. But remember that the story is mainly about Jasmine, and all Lyra parts are filled in by Jasmine from what she heard from Lyra. Yeah, that makes sense. Let's go with that. Crap, I'm rambling.
ROLL TAPE!
Disclaimer: Pokemon is published and owned by Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri. I own nothing but the computer this story was typed up on and the account that posts it.
[Lyra]
A girl dressed in overalled shorts, a big and puffy hat, and pigtails stepped into Olivine City for the first time. She took in the scent of a large body of water. It smelled different than the lake near her hometown. Saltier, she noted. Pulling her bag tighter to her body she made her way to the nearest Pokemon Center.
She took note of the banners and small amount of buildings in the seaside city. The girl found it odd. She had always heard that places by the sea were suppose to be busy and bustling. This place was fairly barren. Enough people to make it a city, but nothing like the place she'd just left. Comparing the two seemed foolish, once she remembered the number of tourist traps that rested in Ecruteak. Still, she couldn't help but feel with all the trainers that she faced before coming her that the place was going to be big and huge.
But here she stood in a tiny port town with a lighthouse the most interesting thing about it…Wait. She looked up at the lighthouse that stood in the distance. Kinda pretty and huge. Bet she could see for miles from way up there. She gave a nod. Definitely going there once her Pokemon were healed.
Stepping in to the Pokemon Center, she took in her surroundings.
"Totally, the absolute same," she groaned.
All these places were the same. Even the nurse looked like the same woman. Either life was actual a game with a totally weak attempt at saving game space by making all the nurses and Pokemon Centers look the same, or that was one weird family to have every girl turn out looking identical. She stepped up to the counter and handed the pink-haired nurse her pokeballs.
"Hello, and welcome to the Pokemon Center. We restore your tired Pokemon to full health. Would you like to rest your Pokemon?"
"Sure."
Ok, I'll take your Pokemon for a few minutes," the nurse said with a warm smile as she took the pokeballs.
"They even say the same thing," she whispered in annoyance once the woman turned her back to the girl to tend to the Pokemon's health.
"Did you say something, dear?"
Lyra's eyes widened at thinking the woman had caught what she said. She looked at the nurse and found her back still to her. She let out a sigh, wiping invisible sweat from her brow.
"N-nothing! Uh, say is there a gym around here?"
Of course there was. She had already passed it on her way into the town, barely a few steps from this vary building. But she had needed a cover and it was the first thing she had thought of. She hoped the pink-haired woman bought it.
"Oh, yes, there is." The woman turned and handed the healed Pokemon back. She gave the girl a sad smile. "But you won't find the Gym Leader there."
"Huh? Why?"
"Oh, the Gym has been empty for a while. The leader who runs it has been spending a lot of time at the lighthouse, lately. No one seems to know why, though."
Lyra nodded and thanked the woman.
"Yep, lighthouse definitely next," were her passing words as she raced of towards the building.
[Jasmine]
This is all my fault. I now understood that. Amphy had gotten sick while I was off enjoying myself. I got to have fun while it suffered. I such a despicable being.
"I'm scum," I squeaked out.
My voice was hoarse from crying away all my tears. Even if someone were to try, I don't think I could shed another tear. There were none left. Most of them already soaked into the blanket that covered my poor Amphy.
I turned on the tap, wetting down a rag. The cold water felt numb to my skin. I ignored it. My whole body already felt weak from my lack of sleep over the last two days. I choose not to question any feelings it experienced over the last hours. It just wanted sleep, I understood. There was no chance that I would sleep, and it must have understood. Not at this time would I sleep. Not when Amphy was suffering like so.
The disgusting part of this whole thing was, I knew just what kind of medicine could help my Ampharos childhood friend. I knew the exact pharmacy that sold it too. Even the price and money to pay for it. I just didn't have the means of getting there. Skarmory could make the journey overseas and take me, but who would stay with Amphy to make sure he stays safe? The trainers of my Gym had no come to check on us since I showed up. Why would they come to help me, anyway? They weren't friends, so why should they care about this Ampharos? This had me considering going back to the way my Gym had once been: only me in it, no other trainers.
No, I couldn't throw them out like that. That would be too cruel. They didn't deserve to be treated like that….No one did.
Expect, maybe me.
My eyes glanced to the stairway that lead down. I was finding myself thinking that maybe the sailors on the fifth floor could also deserve such harsh treatment. The two men knew exactly how bad Amphy was. They had even peaked in on them. Choosing to pick on the sick sheep. Even when I had got on my hands and knees to beg them to go get the medicine, they threw my money back in my face, laughing. 'Keep yer money, skank. Some might Gym Leader you are, sobbin' over that freakin' animal.'
I squeezed the wet rag in my hand. Chewing on my bottom lips, I turned off the nozzle. I tried to hide the glare that threatened to appear on my face. I couldn't let Amphy see me mad. It might think I was mad at it, and that could never be true. I walked back to the bed, and knelt to its height. I laid the wet rag over Amphy's flushed face. Unconsciously, my hand rubbed over the side of its face. It nudged my hand with its mussel, cooing.
My eyes felt moist and hot suddenly.
No, I guess I was wrong. I still had tears to shed, I realized bitterly before weeping again.
[Lyra]
"Geez, that last guy was kinda tough, huh, Marril?" the pigtailed girl said to the tiny blue water mouse at her feet. She leaned down and picked up the tired Marril. Snuggling it close, she smiled. "Machops are one thing, but that Poliwhirl was annoying to fight. You did it though!"
She gave the beaten sailor a victory gesture with her free hand. Wide grinned she headed one down the hall to the stairs. Lyra could hear the man still sobbing over his lose. With a shake of her head, she sighed. Sailors could be the biggest crybabies. For people go seemed to enjoy fighting Pokemon, they whined like five year olds. She stifled a giggle. A fourteen year old was a tougher trainer with a Marril than these grown men with Pokemon designed to bench-press trucks.
Marril looked up at her from her arms. It looked a bit tired from its past triumph. Lyra leaned her head down and kissed it gently on the nose. She squatted down and let the ball-shaped Pokemon go. Moving the bag on her left arm closer to her front. She rummaged through it looking for something to heal Marril. A moomoo milk's glass gleamed in the deem light. Something to heal Marril? Why not a tasty treat to heal Marril? A smiled directed at Marril to make it question her action, she pulled out the milk. Marril's eyes shown brightly at the Miltank-made reward.
The brunette girl handed over the milk as she and her mousy best-friend hurried over to the stairway. Lyra looked up the stairs and began to wonder who stood atop the 6th and final floor. No doubt a powerful trainer judging from the 'game of death' she'd taken part in over the past few floors. There was also talk about some Gym Leader waiting at the top for some reason. One who specialized in Steel-types, a type Lyra had yet to face off against.
A shiver of anticipation jolted through her nervous system. Marril noticed a zealous grin painted across its master's face as the duo marched up the stairs.
[Jasmine]
My eyes were no longer looking at Amphy. They were glued to the stairwell. Such a commission I had just heard. It was obvious someone had took on the sailors, and judging from the cursing and manly crying, they had been beaten. I couldn't help but want to smile at their failure. The smile never came though. My body was much too weak.
I was curious as to who it was who had beaten them. I found myself walking toward the only exist hoping to catch a look at who it was. I crouched down, leaning forward and down to get a look at the victor. My eyes found themselves facing brown pools directly in front of them. Pretty, deep chocolate pools staring up at me. Eyes, I realized before crying out in surprise. My body threw itself back from the other person to put distance between them.
The next sound I heard was laughter.
I looked up at the person who had made their way up here. A girl, I saw. One, maybe two years younger than me. She was dressed in overalls that stopped halfway down her upper legs and a red shirt. Her brown hair was pulled into pigtails which hung out from under her hat. The biggest hat I had ever seen in my life, I feel the need to add. Most alluring was her face. It had such a strong girlish charm to it. She was…Pretty? No, adorable? No. She was lovely. Simply lovely, I had decided.
Except that face she was making. It was a wide and loud-looking smile as she pointed at me and laughed at my expense. My brow fell at the taunting. My face felt a familiar old warmth: shame-driven blushing. My eyes traveled down her finger to where she was point. It was at me, but a particular part of me. She was pointing at my legs, which were splayed out open from my sudden fall. My face was surely glowing now as I moved quickly to cover myself.
The girl tried to stop her laughter, and cover her mouth with her hand.
"I scared you, and you rewarded me by flashing me your," she couldn't finish the thought as she broke out laughing again.
I frowned at her antics.
"I-I fail to see the humor in th…That."
The girl put her hands on her hips.
"Come on, that's pretty fun. Don't be such a stick in the mud," she insisted. "You're acting like someone killed your best friend."
My heart sank at those words. Frowning, I stood and turned my back to the girl. "…Leave…Please. I-I don't have time for this. I don't know why you came here, but I must ask you to leave." I cursed my stammering. It must be hard to take that as a warning when I stumbling over every other word. Nevertheless, I had had enough of this lovely girl having fun at my expense.
My mind stopped at that thought.
Had I just chastised and complemented her in the same sentence? I shook my head. Perhaps a bit of sleep would do me good. Clear my mind and let it rest so it would stop acting so odd. Making me think odd things.
"I'm sorry," the girl said. There was sincerity in her voice. "I didn't mean to upset you. I promise I won't laugh at you again."
With my back to her, I thanked her, "I appreciate it, thank you."
A silence set between us. She made no move to leave, I noted.
"I, uh, you're the Gym Leader for Olivine, right?"
I nodded as I walked back to the small room where Amphy was being held.
"So, would you mind battling me?"
I stopped and looked back at her. A confused and surprised look crossed her face. Perhaps with us both in the brighter light of outside the room she could see my reddened tired eyes, lack of skin complexion, and general weak appearance. She took a step towards me, looking closer at my face. I prepared for her comment…
"You're really kind of hot," she said.
I felt like falling over at the completely random and embarrassing comment. This was her first words to my appearance? What a weird girl. She laughs at me, peeps at my pa-pa…underwear, insults me, and now says I'm ho-ho…Attractive. I didn't understand this complete stranger.
I blinked my eyes, realizing that she was now mere inches from my face. Those beautiful brown pools were looking over my face. Intently they roamed over me, taking in every last detail it seemed. Once more she made me blush bright red. I swallowed at the close proximity. I couldn't hold back the sigh of relaxation when she pulled back.
"You just need to eat and sleep more." That was her decided additional comment. "Then you'd be smoking, no doubt. Especially that cute hairdo." She reached up and to a hold of the two tails atop my head. I could feel her fingers running through them.
"Wow, your hair's soft. What conditioner and shampoo do you use?"
"…Uh…"
She ran her fingers over them again.
"They look and feel like some sort of furry Pokemon's ears." She let out a giggle once she let my hair go.
"…Uh…"
I mentally slapped myself for my lack of response. She just reaches out and grabs my hair, and I blush and stammer like a fool. I'm so pathetic. I rub at my arm uncomfortable as the girl circles around me now. I can feel her eyes traveling all over me as she looks me over from head to foot. Her hand reaches out to the hem of my dress. I lightly bat it away out of instinct. She pulls back her hand, pouts, and smiles in a time span of two seconds.
I don't understand this girl.
A coughing sound wakes me back to what is most important. I let out a gasp and run back to Amphy. I curse myself for having forgot about it while I wasted time with this weird girl. I rush back to its side, patting it on the back to help loosen the phlegm caught in its chest. I faintly heard the girl's footsteps follow me. She let out a gasp at seeing Amphy like this. Before I could blink she was at my side.
I could see the worry in her face. She was…worried about Amphy. For some reason, this surprises me. Perhaps because so many other trainers have ignored the Ampharos febrile state. Regardless of how they had acted, she was now squatting next to me trying to help.
"Is there something I can do to help? He looks pretty bad. Maybe we should take him to the Pokemon Center or get him some sort of medicine. I got some super potions in my bag if you think they could help."
I was at a lose of word.
Then it hit me. A sudden thought. A realization, in fact.
"…There is something you could do to help…"
She looked me in the eye intently.
"What?"
The hurried way she responded…It made me warm inside.
"There's this medicine…" No sooner did I start that train of thought before she stood up and began to walk to the door.
"Got! I'll go look for it at the PokeMart!"
She began to run off but I stopped her.
"W-wait! Please…It's not at the PokeMart here in town. The only place to get this Medicine is at the pharmacy in Cianwood City," I explained.
She looked back at me, that same determination still plastered across her face. "How do you get there?"
My eyes widened. She w-was still going to help, even though it was that close by?
"Y-you take Route 40 through 41 and it'll take you right to it. It's located on a small little island, you can't miss it." I stood up and walked to her. "…Are you, uh, going to go get it?"
She gave a vigorous nod.
"Of course. You aren't going anywhere." She poked me in the chest with a finger, giving me a stern look. "Not while that Pokemon is sick like that."
"He's name is Amphy," was my only reply to the selfless action.
"Fine I'll go get the…Ah, what kind of medicine?"
"SecretPotion."
"Right," she drawled out the word, obviously finding the name of the medicine as odd as I did. "I'll got get the 'SecretPotion' while you stay here and watch Amphy." She did the quotation marks as she said, 'SecretPotion'. It was cute. She pulled out a piece of paper and wrote on it. "Here, that's my number. Call me if anything comes up. I'll call you the moment I get there, alright?"
All I could do was nod.
She began to look around, as if she had lost something. She slapped her forehead. A groan escaped her throat. It looked like she had forgot something, or lost it.
"Marril? MARRIL!" She put her hands to her mouth and called out. "Where'd you go?"
A Marril's cry called back to her. We turned our heads to see the aquatic mouse hurrying towards us. In its stubby little hands was a Super Potion. It walked up to the girl and held it up to her. A pleased look was on its face, as if it had made some great discovery. The brunette took it, looked at it, then me, and back to Marril.
"Where did you find this? Did you take it from this nice lady?" she chastised.
"N-no," I corrected, holding my hands up defensively. "It isn't mine….Um, it must have been dropped by another trainer. Y-You can have it."
She shrugged as she put the potion in her bag. "Thanks, Miss Gym Leader." She reached out a hand for me to shake. Meekly, I took it and shook it.
"It's Jasmine."
The girl grinned at my flushed face.
"Cute name, too. Name's Lyra." She took a step to the stairs. "I'll be back shortly, I promise, Jazz. No side trips or nothing."
"…Oh.! Ple-please take the lift, its quicker." I motioned to a corner where the elevator was.
"Cool."
I stood there watching her board the lift. She smiled at me and waved. Just as the door was about to close, she saw Marril still next to me. She reached out and stopped the door. Her left foot was tapping as she looked at the blue Pokemon. It looked at her, with its round ears lowering at its mistake. Hurriedly the Marril ran to the elevator as fast as its stubby legs could take it. Once back with its master, the door closed for good this time.
A smile was glued to my face as I walked back to Amphy.
"Don't worry, Amphy. Everything's going to be okay now. We got someone to get the medicine, so you won't have to suffer anymore." I took a hold of the flipper like hand of the Ampharos. A smile spread to my face when it looked up at me with those big black eyes. "I promise."
[Lyra]
Lyra stood on the edge of the beach. She looked down at Marril. "Ready for a nice long swim, bubby?" The Marril nodded as to two took off to sea. The brunette glanced back up to the lighthouse. She could swear she saw Jasmine looking back at her. With a smile on her face, and Marril ready to surf, she was ready for the travel to Cianwood.
"Next stop, Cianwood Pharmacy!"
Author's Note: Without reason or protest a girl sets off to help a complete stranger. Going great distances without question to save a life. Unrelenting kindness.
Ashton Nauran - thanks for the info. Apparently this shipping does have a name, folks. "Whiteshipping"…Such a cute couple with such an uncreative title. I mean, I get it but…Just doesn't sound cute enough for the two of them.
Yes, Ampharos are furry but way back in the original Pokemon eps. I remember when Pikachu got sick and attracted Magnimites, it was flushed too. So don't question it since this IS a sheep that stores electricity in its body and acts as a light source for a lighthouse. As long as the story is cute, it doesn't have to make full sense.