I'm rolling around. I have no idea what heaven feels like, but I'm sure these bed sheets do a wonderful job of emulating it. After saving Maylee, Rae, Maple, and my mother from Team Corona, the next morning, the five of us, me, Eve, Luca, Igneo, and now Maylee booked it all the way to Mintell town, the bigger city to the north. Gearbreeze and Mintell were on a peninsula, with Gearbreeze being to the south and Mintell being to the north. As my had told me in a story years ago, it was called Mintell town because of the large number of mint plants that grew in the area. As soon as the five of us neared it, we could smell the mint. Man… these bed sheets were the stuff. I was about to fall back asleep when I heard a muffled crying sound. Wondering who it could be, I raised my head above my sheets and looked around. I saw Maylee, crying. I wasn't surprised it was her, and was about to roll my eyes when I remembered this was the girl who was starved and beaten by her parents for years for calling herself lesbian and being different. I feel more pity for her than I do for anyone else.
"Maylee… what's wrong?" I shuffled out of bed, and landed on the ground awkwardly. I walked over to her and sat down next to her. She was sitting at a bar-like area, and there were two stools, so I sat on the other one and looked at her.
"I'm just… scared," she said, shaking. "If I'm really going to go with you four on a journey around the region to do whatever we're setting out to do on this journey… what do you think people are going to say? They're going to look at us and go… 'Oh, there's Flight, the skilled trainer!' 'There's Eve, the cute and sweet one!' 'There's Luca, the smart and dependable one!' 'That's Igneo, the kid with the gift for Mega Evolution!' 'Oh, look, they've got a lesbian girl with them.' You know that's how it's going to be. Everywhere I go, people will hate me."
"Maylee… yes. People will hate you for being who you are. But you'll just have to prove them wrong, and you won't have to do it alone. You'll have the four of us, with the support of my mother, Juliana, Aspen, and Maple. You have friends now, you aren't in this world alone." I looked at her, and put my hand on her shoulder. "Besides, you have Eevee now. Juliana did well giving you that partner, I do say." I looked over at Eevee, who was sleeping on the floor next to Kitsinge, Aukine, Foaling, and Larvitar, who Juliana gave to Igneo. Me, Luca, and Eve had all caught a second Pokemon, using Pokeballs Juliana gave to us. None of them were native to the Islaa region. I had caught a Riolu, Luca had caught a Growlithe, and Eve had caught a Ralts. Everyone but me and Maylee were still sleeping, and it was past time we should set off to Eldrome City, where the first Pokemon Gym was. Luca would have a hard time, it was an Electric-type gym. Poor Aukine. I turned back to Maylee. "You're just going to have to grow as strong as you can. Perhaps one day you can devote your life to making sure other girls like you aren't treated this badly."
"Perhaps… yeah. That's what I'll do. Thanks, Flight. Now… can we have something to eat? I'm still starving hungry. I haven't eaten in days..." Maylee suddenly looked weak.
"What do you mean, haven't eaten in days? You've been in culinary class for three years!" I looked at her disbelievingly, until she gestured to her chest. She curled her fingers around the bottom of her shirt, and lifted it up a few inches.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to show you anything you don't want to see," she said, with a laugh, then continued, "but… look." I looked down at her chest, and I could see her ribs poking out. Maylee wasn't just skinny, she wasn't eating right. The diet of overprocessed school lunches, as well as just the sweets and pasta she got in culinary class are no diet for a teenage girl. With a concerned look in my eyes, I pulled her shirt down, and stood up.
"Well… you have an entire kitchen that's your playground, Maylee. You can make anything you want here. With that, her eyes brightened, and she hopped off her stool and gave me a small hug before looking at the kitchen.
"I can make anything I want..." she said, half to herself. She walked into the kitchen and started pulling open cabinets, and I could see her face getting brighter as she saw the masses of cooking ingredients. "Ahahaha! This hotel has it all!" She was skipping from cabinet to cabinet, pulling out this and that. Cinnamon, flour, butter… what was she going to make?
"Maylee. What are you planning to cook?" She looked over at me, beaming.
"It's a secret! You'll see!" She smiled, twirled around, and began gathering things again, skipping happily from one part of the room to the next. I sat back down in my bed, and the last thing I remembered before falling back asleep was the sound of Maylee's cheerful humming and the sweet, cinnamon-ey smell of something sweet baking in the oven. I must have dozed off, because after a while, I could again smell something wonderful, and something poking me in the cheek. "Flight..." I nurmured something and turned my head away.
"Mmmmfff… let me… sleeps..." I buried my head in my pillow, but instantly regretted it.
"FLIGHT!" I jumped into the air, sending a surprised Eevee flying off the bed, as Maylee's earsplitting screech threw the room awake in the most disorderly fashion.
"Agh! Paper! For school! Overdue! Aaaaagghhh! I looked over to see Luca roll out of his bed onto the floor, arms flailing.
"Team Corona! They're here! Foaling, prepare for battle!" Eve had her eyes still closed and was waving her arms around, throwing bedsheets everywhere. Igneo just jumped really high into the air with a high-pitched scream. Kitsinge jumped up with a frightened meow and started running right into Growlithe, who looked at Kitsinge angrily. Foaling was running in circles braying, and Aukine was quacking up a storm next to Luca's bed. Maylee took two pans out of the cabinet next to her and banged them together three times.
"Wake up, lazy people! It's MORNING, if you haven't noticed! I made you people breakfast, so the least you can do is get up and cram it down your half-asleep mouths!" She was fuming, but at least she seemed happy. For someone as skinny as she was, and probably weak, she sure could bang two pans together.
"Urgh… Maylee… breakfast?" Luca shook his head sleepily before sliding out of bed and stretching with a massive yawn. "You were in culinary class for three years… you can probably cook far better than any of us. What did you end up making?" He rubbed his eyes and walked towards the kitchen, and saw a large baking pan with a couple dozen rolls on them, covered in cinnamon and frosting. Eve walked up right behind him and looked.
"What are they, Maylee?" she looked at Maylee, as did the rest of us. Maylee smiled and danced into the kitchen, still holding her two pans.
"They're a common breakfast food from Kalos, that started in Lumiose City. They're called cinnamon rolls. They're swirled bread with cinnamon baked into them, drizzled with frosting and baked. Try one!" With the way Maylee was looking, all happy and proud of herself, it would be a shame if we didn't. Eve reached the table first, and she picked one up and bit into it.
"This is… amazing!" Eve gave a thumbs-up with a frosting-covered hand, and smiled before eating the rest. The rest of started eating, and Luca handed each of the Pokemon a roll. Kitsinge and Growlithe devoured theirs first. Ralts ate hers very, very slowly. After everyone was full, or so we thought, there were still four rolls left over.
"I'm full," I said, and looked around. Luca burped and nodded in agreement. Kitsinge was rubbing his stomach, and Igneo had fallen asleep. "Does anyone want the rest?" I glanced around the room at everyone.
"Oh! Oh! Me! I'll take them!" Without waiting for a response, Eve lunged for the pan, and grabbed the four remaining cinnamon rolls. As the rest of us watched, stunned, Eve devoured the cinnamon rolls one by one. When she finished, she looked up, and wiped some frosting off her mouth with her hand. "Maylee, those were fantastic! Dang, Igneo, the people back in your region really know their stuff!" Eve smiled, and got up from her chair. The rest of us did the same. "Well, I'm gonna go change clothes. We need to set off for Eldrome City today. The Jolt Badge is calling my name!" She walked back into the other room, shutting the door behind her, and left the rest of us to pick out clothes.
"Eve always takes ages to get ready… we'll be lucky if we reach Eldrome by nightfall," Luca said, shaking his head. I reached into my bag, and pulled out a set of clothes. I had my usual pair of cargo shorts, and a Volatia t-shirt. I slipped them on, and Luca walked back in with a blue-and-red striped shirt, jeans, and his blue jacket. I slipped my gray one on, and we looked at each other. Igneo walked out of the bathroom wearing a plain green shirt with basketball shorts, and Luca gave him a thumbs-up.
"Now we just wait for the girls. Anyone want to go fill out our college applications?" Luca laughed, and so did me and Igneo. Several minutes went by, and Kitsinge gave a loud meow. Eventually, I was done waiting. Forgetting Eve was in the bathroom, I opened the door. I really had to go, and bad.
"AGH! Flight! I don't have anything on! Close the door, pervert!" Eve screeched, and half-covering herself with a towel, ran at the door and hit it, sending it flying shut and hitting me in the forehead. I stumbled back a few steps and fell onto my bed. I could see Luca standing over me, amused.
"Like what you saw, Flight? There, you have some… background knowledge!" Luca laughed, and I looked up at him.
"Shut up! We all know you secretly think Maylee's really cute!" I fired back, and Luca looked stunned.
"I didn't know that!" Igneo piped up.
"Quiet, you," Luca said, meaning to be serious, but couldn't be. "I do NOT like her! What would be the point in it? She would never like me like that anyways..." Luca sat down, a frustrated look crossing his eyes. Before we knew Maylee was lesbian, back in elementary school, before her parents had starved and beaten her, Maylee was incredibly beautiful. An amazing figure, pretty hazel eyes, and long, flowing blonde hair… it was no wonder a lot of boys, back in like fifth or sixth grade, thought she was cute. However, when she told Luca, her closest friend at that time, that she was lesbian, and did have a crush on Eve, someone overheard them, then spread it around the school. Since then, Maylee was a laughing stock, and her parents hit her and didn't feed her, and she wasn't as beautiful as she was before. Poor girl… I shook my head, and the door to the bathroom Maylee was changing in opened, and she stepped out, looking completely different. She had on a shirt with flower patterns, tiny gemstones embedded into it, making it sparkle. She had on a long, frilly, dark black skirt, with lighter blue patterns on it I presumed to be electricity. Her blonde hair was tied back in a bun, and she had on a green-and-blue-striped scarf around her neck. On her feet were gemstone-studded red sandals, and she wore a matching messenger bag.
"How do I look?" She asked, twirling around once. Her skirt spun around and fanned out, making the patterns look really electric.
"Mother of Arceus, you look hot!" Luca said, then instantly slapped his hand over his mouth. "Well, crap, there goes that..." Maylee just smiled.
"Thanks!" She skipped over to him and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "I appreciate it. About time someone said I looked nice! Now, where's Eve? And, oh, Flight, what happened to your forehead?" She hopped over to me and poked my forehead. "You have a big bruise… it looks painful."
"I accidentally opened the door to Eve's bathroom, but she wasn't dressed, so she ran at the door and slammed it shut, hitting me in the face..." I rubbed my forehead, wincing.
"Ah. I can see that. Well, we're just going to have to wait, then, aren't we?" Maylee sat down, folding her arms and looking up. Several more minutes passed, and eventually she got up and knocked on Eve's door. No response. "Eve…? Eve, answer me. Eve!" Maylee knocked louder, and tried the lock. "It's locked..." she said, panicked. "Luca, can you do something about that?" Maylee turned to look at Luca, who stood up, searching his pockets.
"I have just the thing. Luca pulled something that looked like a key out of his pocket, but with a button. "When I slide this into a keyhole and press the button, the key conforms to the keylock, so we can open almost any door."
"Brilliant, Luca! Let's see it!" Maylee snatched the key from his hand and stuck it in the lock, then pressed the button. A few seconds later, she turned the handle and it opened. There was an ominous, foreboding silence. "Flight… you first." I motioned to Kitsinge, who padded up next to me, bristling in anticipation.
"Eve!" I called, as loud as I could. "Kitsinge, we could be in trouble. Stay alert." As I spoke, I heard a soft, muffled cry. "Eve!" I ran into the other room, Kitsinge hissing as he followed close by me. I rounded the corner into the bathroom area, out of the walk-in closet, and screamed. "EVE!" she was bleeding and lying on the floor.
"Flight. He's still here," Luca said, next to me.
"He?" I asked, frightened.
"Yes, me." I heard a man's voice, and I looked up to see a man in a metallic suit with a gold pin on his uniform, carrying three Pokeballs.
"You're one of those Team Corona idiots! What did you do to Eve?!" Kitsinge spat, and I could see his fur-fire strengthening.
"Well, I was about to kill her, and take the band, when you so rudely interruped and oh- the other band. I'll be taking that as well. Hand them over, kiddo, or I'll turn you into meat." He grabbed one of the Pokeballs from his belt, and tossed it onto the ground. "Mightyena, let's finish these twerps." Out of it came the Pokemon Mightyena- I recognized it instantly. "Take him out." He pointed at me as he issued the command, and I froze.
"Wait- what?!" I panicked as Mightyena lunged at me, and I felt claws dig into and tear at my shoulder. The last thing I remember was Luca yelling "Flight! No!" and slamming into the counter. Then everything went black.
When I came to, and opened my eyes, I looked at the area. Luca and Igneo were lying on the floor next to me, both unconscious, and I looked over and saw Maylee, bleeding, cradling a bloodied Eevee in her arms, crying. The number of Team Corona people in the room had tripled, and one of them was rearing up to kick Maylee. With her in her weakened state, and not being strong to begin with, that kick would be fatal.
"Maylee!" I shouted, and struggled to get up, but fell back over.
"Flight..." Maylee looked at me, tears in her eyes. "I tried… I'm so sorry..." she fell back to cradling her Eevee as I struggled to get up and searched the room for Kitsinge. I wasn't going to let them kill her. Then… I heard a voice.
"Articuno! Ice Beam!" A high-pitched yell from a girl, then a frozen beam of energy tore through the window and slammed into the back of the Team Corona official, freezing his back and sending him flying. "Get your filthy hands off of her! NOW!" I looked up, wiping the blood from my eyes. I saw a woman, probably in her early twenties, riding a bird-like Pokemon that must be Articuno. She dropped off of her, and I could see what she was wearing. She was wearing a jacket, unzipped, with patterns of ice on it, and underneath, what looked like a two-piece bathing suit reinforced with ice. Her eyes were chips of light blue ice, yet still burned cold flame with the fire of battle. People can go around in public dressed like that? Dang, I need to get around more! "Good work, Articuno." Articuno growled happily and landed on the ground.
"Who… are you?" I asked, dazed. The woman was gorgeous- someone dressed like that, with as perfect as she looked, must draw looks wherever she went. She was… stunning.
"My name's Dakota. I'm the Ice-type member of the Elite Four. It's a good thing I found you when I did… I've been clashing with Team Corona for years, ever since I got into the Elite Four. Picking on children is low- even for them." Articuno growled in agreement, and Dakota reached up to smooth the feathers on its head.
"Dakota…? I remember reading about you once," Maylee said, standing up. "Here. Can you heal Eevee?" She held Eevee out to Dakota, who took it into her arms.
"Poor Pokemon… those brutes. You're all in bad shape. I'll get you fixed up in no time." Dakota smiled, and reached into her bag. Several minutes later, we were all in better health. Luca stood up.
"You… Dakota, is it? You saved our lives… we are eternally grateful. Is there anything we can do for you?" Luca asked, and looked at her.
"Yes. Register my number in your X-Pad. I don't have the time to fight Team Corona day in and day out, but if you ever need help, I'll drop what I'm doing and help you. You can always call me if you need help, as well." She held out her X-Pad, and I, Eve, and Luca registered her number in it.
"Thanks," Eve said, coughing. Foaling looked at Eve.
"Those three Pokemon… Eve, your Foaling. Flight, your Kitsinge. Luca, your Aukine. Something seems… different about them. Care to tell me?" Dakota looked cautious, so I decided to tell her about their secret moves.
"Well, each of them know a sacred technique. Foaling's Nature's Fury, Kitsinge's Nightnova, and-"
"Aukine's Deepsea Freeze. I know all about them. Those moves are very, very dangerous. You cannot ever use them unless the circumstances are too dire to use it any other way. Nature's Fury will destroy the enemy's body using vines and branches, ripping it into pieces. Nightnova will consume the opponent in forbidden flames, burning their soul away from their body. Deepsea Freeze will cause columns of absolute-zero water to shoot out of the ground, completely turning the enemy to ice, then shattering. They're dangerous." Dakota looked very serious, and I could tell she wasn't joking. "However… don't let it concern you, just don't use them. I assume you two are headed to Eldrome, for the Jolt Badge?"
"Yep! It'll be a piece of cake!" Eve smiled and nodded her head, a determined look in her eyes.
"Well, the best of luck to you. You're going to need it. Good luck in the rest of your journey, too. Travel the Islaa region, get stronger, collect all the gym badges, then come to Cliffsea Cape, and take on the Pokemon League." She hopped back aboard Articuno, and the mighty bird unfolded its wings and lifted into the air. "I'll be waiting!"