Chapter Four: The Squall

That evening, Storm and I were in our pajamas, I was sprawled on my bed, thinking about Shaymin while Storm sat cross-legged on his bed, flicking through the TV channels.

"There's nothing good on." Storm said, turning the TV off. Suddenly, his PokéGear rang.

"Hello?" Storm asked nervously.

"STORM AND LILLY!" Nurse Joy's shrill voice erupted from the PokéGear.

"Oh great." Storm muttered.

"We've gone on the trip! We're going to find the elixir berry!" I said. There was silence.

"I told you not to go on that trip." Nurse Joy said after a long pause. "Well, good luck, I guess. I'll call you regularly and tell you how Shaymin's doing."

"Thanks! 'Bye. Oh, and tell Shaymin I love her!" I said before Nurse Joy hung up. I suddenly yawned. "Boy, I'm tired."

"Me too. Good night, Lilly." Storm said.

"Good night, Storm." I said. I promptly buried my face in the pillows and fell asleep.

****

I slowly woke up to sounds of sloshing and someone pacing the floor.

"Storm?" I said sleepily, sitting up. Storm looked up from his pacing.

"Lilly! You're awake!" Storm said.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We're in a storm." Storm said. "The captain says we're perfectly safe but I don't trust him, so I've got Toad and Squirt out of their pokéballs."

"Totototototototototooooooooooooooodile!" Toad said, bouncing up an down.

"Wartortle." Squirt said.

"It must be really bad then!" I said. I leaped out of bed and quickly got dressed in the bathroom.

"Lilly!" Storm said after I was done changing. "Water's leaking in through the walls! I think this ship is going to sink!" I quickly opened the door to the bathroom.

"Let's go onto the deck." I said.

"Right. Toad, Squirt, follow me." Storm said. We quickly ran up onto the deck. Rain was lashing, winds were blowing, and towering waves were forming.

"Oh Arceus........" I muttered.

"This isn't a storm, it's a hurricane!" Storm said. Suddenly, a big wave hit the ship, sending Storm and I flying to the edge of the ship.

"Toto!" Toad said. Suddenly, another wave hit.

"Storm!" I screamed. Storm grabbed my hand before I fell into the turbulent water. He tried to pull me up but another wave hit the ship. Storm lost his balance and we fell over the side of the ship.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Storm and I screamed. I hit the water with a splash. Cold, so cold! I swam up to the surface, coughing and choking.

"Lilly?! Lilly?! Lilly?! Where are you?" Storm shouted from somewhere to my left.

"Over here!" I shouted before a wave of water splashed into my mouth. I spat out the salty seawater.

"Wart?" Squirt asked smoothly swimming over to me. I grabbed onto Squirt's back and I rode over to Storm, who was on top of Toad.

"We need to get to land." Storm shouted over the roar of the hurricane.

"I don't see land anywhere! There's no land in sight!" I said.

"Well, if we swim we might find some." Storm said.

"Okay." I said. "But we have to get out of the water soon or we'll catch hypothermia....."

"That's if we can get out of the water....Toad, Squirt! Swim forward!" Storm said. I took a deep breath and Squirt went under the water. Cold engulfed me again. Squirt swam forward. After twenty seconds or so, I was running out of air. I tapped on Squirt's shell. Squirt nodded and brought me up to the surface. Cold air flowed into my lungs. I looked around.

"Storm!" I shouted. "Where are you? Storm? STORM?!"

"Lilly! Lilly! Over....gurglysploosh!" Storm's voice shouted.

"Squirt! Swim to Storm!" I said. I held my breath and Squirt dived under the water. I saw Toad's legs and belly from underneath the water. Squirt swam up and broke the surface. Storm was coughing madly. "Storm, Storm! Are you okay?" I asked.

"Just......cough......a little.......cough........water......." Storm said.

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yes." Storm said and took a deep breath. I grabbed his hand, and Toad and Squirt dived underwater. The cold was biting into my skin. I suddenly couldn't feel my toes. I tapped Squirt's shell. He nodded and brought us back up to the surface. I started shivering madly.

"Storm!" I said. "We have to look for land! If we can't find it, we're doomed!" Storm looked around.

"I still don't see anything." Storm said.

"Storm.......if.......if this.........." I started.

"It won't be. Come on, let's go!" He said. Squirt and Toad dived back underwater again, swimming forward with all their might. The feeling in my legs was disappearing. My head was slowly starting to throb. I was getting weaker. I tapped Squirt's shell again and he brought us back up to the surface.

"Storm........I think......I think....." I said.

"Lilly........I'm feeling it too.......but we can't give up. Back under!" Storm shouted. Toad and Squirt dived again. I was having trouble keeping my eyes open. No, no, you have to stay alive......for Shaymin.......the elixir berry......I thought. Toad and Squirt brought us back up to the surface.

"Lilly, Lilly!" Storm said. He reached over and shook me. "Lilly, stay awake!!"

"Storm, I'm tired." I muttered.

"Lilly, no!" Storm said.

"Tell.........Shaymin........I.........love......her......." I said.

"No! Don't give up! Please......if not for yourself, Shaymin! Please Lilly, please!" Storm said.

"I'm...........trying..........." I said. Storm squeezed my hand so hard my eyes nearly popped out of my sockets.

"Now, breathe.......and......under!" Storm said. I took a deep breath and Toad and Squirt dived again. Shaymin, Shaymin, help! I'm going to pass out any minute now.......someone! Help! I thought. Now practically my entire body was numb. Storm, Storm, squeeze my hand.......keep me awake......please, please, someone......... Toad and Squirt were swimming back up to the surface. I let go of my breath.

"Lilly, we've entered the eye!" Storm shouted.

"Huh.......what............?" I asked.

"The eye of the hurricane! Look around for land!" Storm said. With great effort, I lifted my head off on Squirt's shell and looked around.

"I don't see anything............" I muttered.

"Me neither......not even the ship." Storm said quietly. I could tell he was very close to passing out as well. My eyelids were heavy. I slowly let my head sink back onto Squirt's shell.

"Totototototototototototototo!!!!!" Toad said frantically.

"Wartortle!" Squirt said.

"Good.......bye........Shaymin.......I.......love..........you........" I whispered before everything went black.