Chapter Thirty Five – Little Dude
"How much further does the PokéNav say we are from… 'White Cliffs', is it?" A young boy's voice asked curiously.
"We're nearly there," a female voice replied, almost as though fed up with the question, which was all its owner had asked for the past two hours.
Sapphire 'Sapph' Manson and Haley Kent were walking along the rock-strewn forested Route 318 towards White Cliffs, a beach town where the duo planned to get a ferry to Utopia Island and the next gym challenge.
Sapph, itching for some action, was impatient as ever, and Haley, tired of his incessant questions, was rebuffing them with words of lip comfort. A high cliff face before them brought a smile to her lips as she announced proudly, "Here we are!"
"Oh, come off it, Haley," Sapph groaned, now some what tetchily, pushing past her and walking through a hole in the cliff side that resembled the mouth of a cave. "There's nothing here but another… crummy…" Sapph was lost for words as bright sunlight and an amazing sight hit his eyes.
"...'Cave'?" Haley asked as she followed Sapph through the tunnel and stood beside him on the wooden platform that overlooked the city before and around them. "Ha, ha… no. Welcome to White Cliffs."
Whoa, Sapph thought, his eyes roving over the innumerable ridges and platforms that ran around the alabaster circular cliffs, houses that seemed to be partly modeled after the ones in Dinocanyon, others more so, set in the cliff side. The expanse of white sand that sat fifty feet or so below them looked like a flower garden of parasols was littered with beach combers and holidaymakers and breathed with activity.
"Talk about a training field!" Sapph exclaimed happily. "Come on, Haley! Let's g… Haley?" The space that held Haley's body mysteriously vacant. Wondering where she went, Sapph scratched his head and shrugging, turned and asked a local for directions to the Pokémon Center.
After a twenty minute walk from the Upper Pier, Sapph closed the door to his room at the Pokémon Center and unhooking five red and white spheres and one pure white one released his Pokémon in a collective flash of white and green light.
Mmm, smells salty, Sapph, Lavender said in her chipper voice, directing her small black nose towards the open window which gave them a view of the ocean. Where are we?
"White Cliffs," Sapph said, scratching the back of his dark brown hair around the nape as he fished around for a pair of swimming trunks. "A beach town."
Arcana and Zen's ears perked at the sound of the town's name and whilst the Fighting type looked excited, the firebrand almost looked fearful.
Finding his trunks, Sapph told his Pokémon to sit tight as he stepped into the shower to change.
As the cool water ran over his face and down his body, Sapph wondered where Haley had vanished to. Admittedly, he didn't really care, but as he pulled up his black and gold trim swimming trunks which the girl insisted he bought before leaving Nightspark their first time there, he thought he could be concerned, right?
Shrugging to himself, he studied himself in the mirror, something he didn't do often due to time and unavailability of mirrors for most of his journey, Sapph noticed he'd been hollowing out slightly, definitely looking much more athletic than he did when he left home a few months ago. His hair fell into his bright blue irises and decided to get it trimmed at the next chance he got. He kind of liked it long, though not too long… it made him look that much more of a girl.
Stepping out of the bathroom with a large blue and white beach towel hung around his neck and his clothes draped over his right arm, the first thing he noticed was a lack of persons in the room. Three, to be exact.
Dropping his clothes, Sapph gasped and inquired of the Pokémon left, "Where the heck did the guys go?"
Lavender and Arcana looked up (the former doing as close to it as she could) and Ace said, Out, Sir.
"'Out'?!" Sapph repeated incredulously. "Out where?"
They didn't say, Lavender said calmly. But if Anii's with them, they'll be fine, right, Sapph?
"That's beside the point!" Sapph said in a state of mild hysteria. Running to the door, Sapph turned back to the others and said, "Well? Come on! We gotta find them!"
But Arcana looked back fearfully and said, No way, homey. I'm stayin' here. No offence, but beaches and me really don't like to talk civil-like.
Lavender felt Arcana shiver and made her decision. Me neither, Sapph. Arcana and I can watch the room for you. Ace, too… if she's staying.
No, I'll enlist, Ace said dutifully. You'll need help finding the deserters after all, Sir.
Sapph looked at Lavender and Arcana searchingly and decided that on balance it'd be better for some members to stay in case Haley came to call.
"OK," he agreed. Beckoning to Ace, who flapped off the bed and soared out the open window. "Anything you guys want?"
No. We're good, Sapph, Lavender assured her trainer.
Thanks, homey, the Arcanine said gratefully, though in a small and abashed voice.
Sapph nodded warmly and closed the door with a snap.
Haley walked along the beach, keen to put some distance between herself and Sapph's endless blabber about training.
Honestly, she thought desperately as she moved along the shore to a rocky part of the beach. Is that all he thinks about? We're on the bloody beach, for Arceus' sake!
Stopping for a few minutes, she said to herself, "This should be far enough. Come on out, Vapor!"
And in a single burst of light, her Eevee stood before her, shaking his ruff briskly and fixing an ****** off look on his face.
About time! He said, annoyed. D'you know how cramped it gets in there?
"Sorry, Vapor," Haley apologized. "I had… preoccupations."
I'll bet, Vapor drawled, rolling his eyes. So, are we out here to train or something?
Ignoring the pulsing vein near her temple, Haley said, "No, we are not going to train. Keep an eye out while I change."
Here?! Vapor gasped as Haley blanketed him with her hat and proceeded to unbutton her shirt. Oi, Haley! That's not coo… oh, Vapor stopped yelling, blushing at his moment of uncool. Of course she was wearing her bathing suit under her clothes. Talk about duh, he thought as Haley turned to look at her Eevee curiously.
"What's wrong, Vapor?" Haley asked nonplussed, as though the fact that this was her intent all along should be obvious.
Nothing, Vapor muttered, re-employing his aloof and cool manner. Ready yet?
"Don't you know better than to rush a lady?" Haley asked, eliciting another eye-rolling from the Evolution Pokémon. "Very well, let's go."
So why are we here, Haley? Vapor said calmly walking at his mistress's heel obediently.
"At this part of the beach, the ocean is said to react with the rocks in very special ways," Haley explained. "The area's called Stony Shore as the stones here are said to react with the sea to produce Water Stones."
OK, so a lot of people know about it?
They rounded a corner and saw beach combers and their Pokémon covering nearly every square inch of the beach, digging and prodding around in search of the mystical stones.
"Question answered?"
Aw, man, Vapor groaned, his ears drooping as he beheld the sheer number of competition. So not cool.
"Let's split up," Haley suggested. "We'll cover more ground that way."
OK, Vapor said slinking off further inland than Haley, who took the hint and proceeded to the water's edge.
Vapor hadn't been looking long when something long and blue caught his eye. Moving closer, he saw a dark turquoise squiggle embedded within and said, Cool.
As he reached towards it, a powerful jet of water caught him unawares and sent him sprawling a few feet away. Hitting all fours, he shook himself and saw what looked like the ugliest baby he'd ever seen making a dive for the stone, red fingers twitching with anticipation.
Not cool, Slowpoke, Vapor thought, inhaling quickly. You ought to chill for a while.
One split second later, a Lombre-shaped ice sculpture stood gleaming in the sun a few inches from the larger than average Water Stone from the combined effort of two Ice Beam attacks. Surprised, Vapor looked around and saw another fox like creature identical to him except with a swishier tail and brighter, more enthusiastic eyes. A flower near its ear told Vapor that it was a girl.
Back off, scrub, she said in a challenging tone. That Stone's mine.
Chill, chick, Vapor said coolly. Don't you think you're overreacting?
Not really, scrub, the female Eevee said dismissively, taking a challenging step forwards. Now back away, or you'll get what he got. She jerked her head at the Lombre for emphasis.
I don't fight girls, Vapor drawled. They're too whiney…
What was that, scrub? the girl Eevee demanded.
Plus it's no fun losing to a girl, Vapor went on regardless. Why take the chance?
This somehow cooled the girl down a bit as she said, at least you're smart, scrub. Now, move.
You could learn my name, you know, Vapor said amusement highlighting his bored voice now.
You could learn mine, she shot back.
Vapor was definitely amused now. Fine, the name's Vapor. And you are…?
Meria.
Cute, Vapor said sincerely. Well, this hunk of rock's too big and too well wedged up there to move. Why not just touch it together?
Shooting a suspicious glare, Meria said, Are you sure you gonna play fair?
Hey, I'm in no hurry to evolve. If it'll happen, it'll happen. If one of us doesn't evolve and it looks like it'll be you, I'll just let go, OK?
Studyinng his cool face for a few moments, Meria sighed and smiled, Whatever. Let's do this.
Vapor and Meria walked up to the giant Water Stone and looking at each other, Meria said, On three, alright?
Vapor nodded calmly.
OK, Meria said, her voice dry at the prospect of achieving a lifelong aspiration, One… two… three… NOW!
Both placed a paw to the Stone and both began to glow in unison.
A minute later, two Bubble Jet Pokémon looked at each other, long blue tails waving in the wind and bright yellow ruffs rippling in the sun.
Finally! Meria cried out ecstatically.
Congratulations, Vapor smiled, looking his regular cool self. You look really cool.
D'you know how long I've waited to be a Vaporeon? Meria asked excitedly.
Nope, Vapor replied coolly. But we have some time. Let's take it slow, OK?
You and your cool attitude, Meria laughed, still giddy at their shared evolution.
You like it and we both know it, Vapor shot back calmly, the two Vaporeon walking away side by side, leaving the utterly defeated Lombre to thaw slowly.
Zen, with Anuvi and Crimson in tow, strolled amongst the beach, watching the multitudes of humans surf, play with Frisbees or simply kick back and soak up some sun.
Zen, Crimson asked for the fifth time since they snuck out of the room. Where are we going?
You said something about training, Anuvi thought silently, his violet eyes narrowed in suspicion as their 'leader' looked around, evidently searching for something. So we'd better be out here to train. Aloud, he told his Fighting type team mate, My energy cycling needs work, so this better not be a waste of time.
Crimson stared at his best friend and asked incredulously, Is training all you're interested in?
Anuvi turned to look at his long-time companion and nodded, saying, After Dopeak City, it makes sense to become stronger. We're outta options. We need to win the last two badges to qualify for the League this year. We haven't got the time to fool around, Crimson. And you know I'm right, he added, staving off a stuttered reply.
Yeah, you're right, Green Bean, Zen said calmly. But no one said we can't have fun while we train… ah, there it is! Come on, you two! He added bossily, causing the two Flying types to pick up the pace to keep up with the Combatant Pokémon.
After a minute of dodging through a crowd of excited spectators, Anuvi, Crimson and Zen stood on the edge of a rectangular area marked out with ground charcoal. The shape was roughly ten metres wide and twice as long, its long side divided in half, creating two ten by ten metre squares.
A large crowd of humans and Pokémon were around, seemingly prepping up for some major event. As Crimson and Anuvi stared at the sheer volume of Pokémon around (all seemed to be insanely high leveled – Golem, Feraligatr, Alakazam, Typhlosion, Scizor… the list went on and on) and whilst Anuvi's quiet smile betrayed his excitement at the endless training possibilities, Crimson's shaking hands openly revealed his nervousness.
Sensing their spiked tension, Zen smiled mysteriously and said, Green Bean, calm down. We're not here to 'fight', exactly. So stop shivering, Bugsy Wugsy, OK? You'll make me nervous.
Beckoning to the two of them to follow him, Zen led the way through the throng whilst an announcement blared, "Will all entrants for the Northern Sector Poké-Volley Nationals please move to the desk for registration? Pokémon are to be entered with their trainers. This is the last call. Thank you."
Questions exploded like happy Electrode in Anuvi and Crimson's minds. Crimson, being the more articulate, spoke up first, What the…? What's Poké-Volley? It's not dangerous, is it? We're not entering, are we?
For the last time… relax, Bugsy, Zen said exasperatedly as they approached a desk at which a mid-teenaged girl with bubblegum pink hair wearing a bright white T-shirt over a two piece bathing suit was collecting entry information, chunky blue bangles glinting in the bright sunlight. You'll find out what it's all about real soon.
Anuvi, however, had seen another problem as the trio stepped up to the young woman after a particularly large Aggron, Machamp and Exploud moved away with their beefy, thickset trainer, who'd been forced to cut his one-sided flirting with the entry officer short by her gesturing a slim yet well-built youth in blue swimming trunks and wild black hair, who stood at the sidelines of the pitch and noticing the girl, waved enthusiastically, causing the large hairy man to scowl heavily.
Sapph isn't here, Zen, he said quietly as the lady called out, "Next!" How do you plan to enter us?
With this, Zen whispered back conspiratorially, pulling a small white rectangle of plastic out of nowhere and handing it over to the girl to confirm the validity of the identity card.
Wha… you STOLE Sapph's TRAINER CARD?! Crimson screeched in appalled shock.
Looking shocked at the weight of Crimson's accusation, Zen gave a theatrical gasp and breathed, Stole? Making a soft tutting noise, Zen smiled and said, No, no, no, no… 'stole' is such a naughty word. I just… 'borrowed' it on a whim!
'Borrowed', hunh? Crimson muttered as the girl handed the card back together with a scrap of paper on which the number '2' was printed. Boy, are you in debt… Sapph's been looking for that thing for weeks.
Before Zen could laugh out loud at Crimson's shot at humour, the voice, which was revealed to belong to the attendant blared out through a megaphone, "Entries for the Poké-Volley national contest are closed! Will entrants fourteen and two please make their way to the pitch, please?"
That's us, Zen said looking at the scrap of paper and pushing his team mates gently forward onto the field while the burly trainer from before stepped up to the edge of the field, his three VERY large Pokémon passing him as they stepped into the opposite square and formed a triangle.
Zen, whadda we dooo?! Crimson trilled anxiously. I've never played Poké-Volley before!
Have you played before, Zen? Anuvi asked quietly, locking eyes with the largest opponent, the Machamp and remembering their previous loss at the Dopeak City Gym.
Not really, but I understand the theory. Listen, Zen told his team mates as they went into a pre-match huddle. One thing you need to know: don't touch the ball if it has been hit with an attack you're weak to, unless you can counter the attack. Leave this first round to me, I'll show you how it works.
"First set: Team Grader vs. Team Sapph!" A young man in trunks, a large, crane-like bird with a red head crest, sharp yellow beak and cream and brown plumage beside him, announced to the buzzing crowd. Turning to the Jutunkick, he asked, "Erm… you wouldn't be Sapph, would you, dude?"
No, but don't worry, Zen muttered back. We'll be fine.
No, we won't, Crimson said, quailing under the mean leer of the Exploud and the smell of its breath coming from its gaping mouth.
The referee shrugged as Fearow took flight and began to circle the pitch from ten feet up and announced, "Both sides ready? Set One… begin!"
A large royal blue ball with rounded black bumps dotting its surface was dropped from the sky by the referee's Fearow and Zen muttered, Don't blink, to both his allies and adversaries before leaping upwards, a ball of aura glowing in his right hand.
Taken aback by his speed, Grader and his Pokémon could only watch as Zen roundhouse kicked the ball straight towards Aggron, unleashing the Aura Sphere a split second later.
"Aggron, watch it!" the beefy beach man said desperately, but it was too late. The ball, charged with the Rolling Kick's Fighting type attributes, slammed into the side of the Iron Armor Pokémon's head, sending it reeling out of the playing field. The Aura Sphere hit the ball a second later at an angle that sent it skimming across the field towards Exploud, striking it in the… ah, nether regions.
The purple and yellow Normal type's eyes bugged out on contact as high pitched whistling erupted from its facial pipes. Clutching its marbles in pain (a major understatement), it hobbled about for a few seconds, before falling over, completely spent.
Ouch, Anuvi and Crimson echoed in unison, wincing empathically. That will sting.
"And just like that, two of Grader's Pokémon are out of the match!" The commentator announced, sounding pleased that Grader was getting punished so soundly. "Score is 7-3 to Team Sapph and only Machamp remains!"
Landing on his feet, Zen explained quickly, Both sides start with five points. Either knocking the ball into your opponents to score damage for clean hits or so they can't return it takes one point from the opponents' score and adds it to ours, and vice versa. First to render the other team unable to play or devoid of points wins the set. Got it?
Anuvi nodded as Crimson shrieked, Watch out! That thing used Focus Blast on the ball!
Zen turned sharply to see the ball hurtling towards him, vengeance etched deep in the Superpower Pokémon's red eyes. Raising a palm calmly, he brought the ball to a dead stop, a bright blue aura surrounding it.
Oops, sorry about that, Zen laughed, as Grader and Machamp blanched in horror. Here, is this yours? and with a flick of his wrist, sent the ball flying straight back into the Machamp's kisser, sending it cart wheeling straight out of the pitch to join its unconscious comrades, its fat yellow lips swelling up horrifically.
"Game!" the girl announced as the crowd went crazy. "Team Sapph win their first match with an 8-2 shut-out!"
So, Zen smiled, turning to his now grinning team mates, ready to play ball?
Both grinning, Anuvi and Crimson nodded.
The white sands of the beach area burned with the sun's unrelenting heat as Sapph trudged over the loose soil carefully, giving the multitude of couples, playful kids and their Pokémon a wide berth.
"Looks like a pretty peaceful place," Sapph said to himself, watching a couple of surfers ride a long, roaring curl. "Beautiful beaches… plenty of sun… maybe the guys were right. Maybe we should just chill for a day…"
As he meandered through the large, Technicolor medley of parasols and thinking wistfully of the lack of foresight that prevented him from getting himself one of the large sun shields, a loud chorus of young voices called out, "Hey, Oh-neh! Watch out!"
Sapph wasn't aware of the warning's recipient until something slim and hard slammed into the back of his neck and sent him lurching forwards into the sands and right on top of something small that let out a frightened squeak and squirmed desperately as Sapph's fall kicked up a cloud dust.
"TOGI!" A worried voice cried out as Sapph groaned and rubbed the back of his neck, spitting out fine grit as a large red Frisbee landing with a loud plop in the sands besides him. A young girl rushed up to him and shoving him into a roll scooped up what looked like a tearing eggshell which had red and blue triangles dotting it all over. Sapph groaned as he sat up and massaged the part of his ribs that came into contact with the hard item he'd hit before a shadow fell over him.
"Look what you did to my poor Togi!" the same girl half-yelled, glowering down at the winded boy trainer, shoving the egg into his face "Now apologize!" Sapph looked horrified as he saw the cracked top half and thought he'd broken it (and the girl's sanity) until it chirped tremulously.
Sapph blinked in confusion and rubbing his eyes (mentally swearing as he got sand in them again) he squinted at the 'egg' again only to see the crown-shaped head of what was inside it. A pair of beady black eyes peered nervously over the cracked ridge of its shell as it shielded itself with pointed, stumpy little arms.
Sapph, realizing he hadn't broken the Togepi's shell, looked up still clutching his ribs into the girl's face and met a pair of dazzling green eyes which were presently narrowed in anger at Sapph's apparent inconsideration. A few stray strands of pink hair so dark it looked red fell into her pretty, freckled face and partly covered her ears which were studded with small pearl earrings.
"Well? I'm waiting!" the girl demanded angrily, sitting heavily on Sapph's tummy and keeping up her scary pout. The Frisbee lay forgotten besides him, its owners' no doubt terrified by the awful wrath their misaimed throw had incurred and in no hurry to fess up to their blunder.
"OK, OK, I'm sorry!" Sapph groaned heavily, his stomach adding to the other parts of his aching body. This girl was, though dainty, no Chairy princess.
"Like you mean it!"
"I'm sorry," Sapph said as sincerely as one could with a girl on your stomach and sand in your eyes. "Could you please get off me now?" Sapph asked piteously, his eyes seeming like they were on fire. "I kinda got sand in my eyes and they hurt like all hell."
The girl studied him for a few seconds before standing up and hoisting Sapph to his feet, dragging him towards her parasol. Sapph could only half see what was happening when a trickle of cool water splashed in his face, washing away the abrasive sand. A towel followed quickly, rubbing away most of the sand vigorously, and almost poking his eyes out in the process.
"Ow, my eyes! Ow, my eyes!" Sapph groaned, his arms flapping about madly and causing the Spike Shell Pokémon to break out into tinkling laughter.
"Oh, sorry," the girl said in a more docile voice, dropping her towel and seizing Sapph's face around the eyes, blowing gently to cure the irritation. Slowly, Sapph's vision sharpened once again and the girl's slightly puckered lips came into view barely an inch away.
"Tha-that's better, th-thanks," Sapph mumbled, his voice trembling slightly as the girl studied his sapphire irises with her own emerald ones searchingly, a moderate amount of blood flushing the young male's cheeks.
Seemingly satisfied with her work, she pulled away her freckled cheeks slightly pink. "You're welcome. Sorry I was a bit short with you earlier. But nobody hurts my Togi and gets let off lightly."
Togi chirped cheerfully and waddled over to her trainer on stubby yet springy yellow feet. Sapph watched the girl picked up her adorable Pokémon and coo gently to it, all smiles and smiled a little himself in an oddly vacant manner until her voice came over loud and brash, "Hello, Earth to Kid? OY!"
Snapping out of his trance, he snapped back to attention and said, "Sorry. You just reminded me of … someone."
"Girlfriend?"
Sapph reddened, astounded at how quickly she had caught on. Looking away, he muttered, "Yeah. Sort of…"
"Well, you're not half bad-looking… for a kid," the girl said in an appraising tone of voice. "My name's Zeta. What's yours, Blue Eyes?"
"Sapphire," Sapph said with a smile. "Listen. I'm really sorry about Togi, even if it wasn't entirely my fault. Let me make it up with an ice cream on me."
Zeta glared at Sapph for a few seconds before turning to her excited Togepi and said loftily, "As funny as seeing you covered in ice cream would be, Togepi and I accept your apology."
"Oh, OK," Sapph said calmly standing up slowly. "Well… guess I'll see you…"
"OK, Blue Eyes," Zeta groaned, standing up abruptly and stretching, showing off her curves which were a little on the generous side for a twelve year old. "Wake up already. I said we accept your apology. I didn't say we refused your invitation for ice cream. Geez," she pouted playfully, tossing her long ponytail over her shoulder, scooping up Togi and hooking herself to Sapph's arm, "you can't have done this often, have you?"
Sapph, blushing furiously, decided not to answer and defend his still-growing male pride.
"By the way," Zeta said as they walked towards an ice cream cart a few feet away. "Just how old are you, Blue Eyes?"
This was a question Sapph felt he could answer. "I'll turn twelve in about two weeks."
"Ha! Knew you were only a kid," Zeta crowed triumphantly. "I'm roughly five whole months older than you!"
"W-what does that matter?" Sapph spluttered, obviously incensed by her challenging tone.
"Well, it won't matter in a couple of weeks," Zeta admitted brightly. "But I'm still older than you, Blue Eyes."
"Apparently," Sapph said in a grouchy voice. "You can't even get my name right. It's not 'Blue Eyes', alright? It's Sapphire, although I guess you can call me Sapph."
"Well, Sapph," Zeta said in mock surprise as they reached the open air ice cream parlor. "Are you perchance hitting on me?"
"Urgh, no!" Sapph blanched as he paid for the ices. "All my friends call me that. Girl, get a clue already!"
Zeta laughed as she loaded her scoop with strawberry and chocolate ice cream and pausing bare inches from her Togepi's face, looked over at Sapph with a vivacious smile and teased, "Are you sure you're lying, Sapph?"
"Yes… I mean no! I mean," Sapph blundered as the girl let out an open peal of laughter. "Just eat your ice cream," Sapph grumbled, looking away and focusing on his frozen treat after catching a glimpse of the girl's charming smile.
Looking back as he watched the girl called Zeta spoon-feed her Pokémon, Sapph began to think, a smile forming on his lips again as he watched the girl laugh animatedly at Togi's antics.
The girl had spunk. Not to mention intuition and a sense of fun. Plus despite the differences in hairstyle, mood swings (and weight, Sapph thought furtively) she was every bit Joy Jr.'s twin.
Next time they met, Sapph thought meditatively, licking his ice cream some more, he and Joy would need a serious chat.
General! A loud caw called out from above.
Looking up and shielding his eyes from the sun, Sapph saw Ace swoop in and flare out, wings beating to keep altitude.
"Hey, Ace," Sapph said cheerfully. Offering his ice cream, he asked, "Fancy a bite?"
No, thank you, Sir, Ace declined respectfully, wings still beating.
Watching Zeta and Togi struggle to stay steady, Sapph turned to Ace and said, "You know, you can land if you like."
Thanking her trainer and flapping to the ground, Ace, saluted with one wing (sending Togi into a fit of giggles) and unabashedly announced, Report.
"Well, now we found what we were looking for," Haley announced, stepping out of the Pokémon Center, clad in her one-piece white and red floral-print bathing suit and a wide brimmed straw hat this time. "We can kick back and relax, eh, Vapor?"
I suppose so, Vapor yawned from her heels, blinking in the bright sun.
"You better get back in, Vapor," Haley said thoughtfully. "I want to surprise Sapph when he sees you."
Sure, but just wait a minute, Vapor yawned again. This is the first time in almost a week you've let me out. Just chill... besides, he went on, looking sideways at Haley through droopy eyes; not sleepy, merely bored. Isn't the packed lunch a big enough surprise?
"Oh, quiet, you," Haley said with a smile as girl and Pokémon walked down catwalks and strengthened cliff sides to the beach below.
As the reached the beach, Haley heard loud cheers coming from a crowd of people surrounding a wide area in the centre of the sandy cove, leaving the beach area uncommonly free. A female voice was announcing, "And Team Sapph does it again! This rookie trio seems to be unable to do wrong as they defeat Team Salvo after a grueling set, pitting them in the finals against last year's champs… Teeam… Ryley!"
"Did she say 'Team Sapph'?" Haley asked in surprise. Shaking her head, she laughed, "Typical Sapph… forever chasing the challenge."
One question, then, Vapor said calmly. If Sapph's meant to be over there… why's he sitting over there, he said, jerking his head towards the ice cream parlour, chatting up that cute redhead?
Haley's smile slid off her face as she saw what indeed seemed to be Sapph, seemingly startled by what his Swoop Pokemon had announced and after footing the bill, stood up abruptly, and saying something to a very attractive girl who wore a green and white bikini and dark pink hair in a long ponytail, before running off, totally oblivious to the fact that Haley had seen him.
Watching the young girl smirk fondly at Sapph's retreating back and talk to her Togepi who was seated before a large chocolate and chopped nut Iced Dream, Haley went from happy to jealous faster than a set of traffic lights.
You were right about Sapph, Vapor chuckled softly, 'Forever chasing the challenge', hunh? And what a challenge he chases today!
"Shut it," Haley snarled, returning Vapor abruptly.
Some confrontation was in order, and Haley was all fired up.
"There you guys are!" Sapph exclaimed a little out of breath as he ran up to the Poké-Volley pitch and saw his triumphant team mates comparing their medals and basking in the attention. "What have you been up to? I was worried!"
Hello! Look what we won! Crimson said brightly, showing off his golden octagonal medal and the game ball, roughly the size on a large Electrode proudly.
"Yeah, yeah, very nice," Sapph said snappily. "But what did you win them for?"
Annual Poké-Volley Champs, Northern Corei Sector, Zen informed their trainer with a grin. Looks like we actually did get some training done after all…
"But without me?" Sapph said with a groan. "Sure, I know you're hardcore on the beach, but it couldn't hurt to have some more help, you know!"
We're sorry, Sapph, Crimson said apologetically, glancing at a happy Zen. We were sort of dragged into it at the last minute, and…
"It's OK, Crim," Sapph said tiredly. "But you guys did a good job. I'm proud of you guys."
Thanks, Sapph, Crimson said happily as Anuvi nodded in warm acknowledgement.
"Come on, let's go find Haley and the others and tell them the news," Sapph said turning to each Pokémon in turn. Pausing, he looked quizzically at each in turn and asked, "By the way, other than the medals, what did you guys win?"
Hmm, Crimson muttered, studying the prize envelope, Fifty thousand Pokédollars cash…
Sapph whistled in appreciation.
…and a complimentary ticket for the SS Royal Corsola, Crimson finished, looking up at Sapph.
Sapph blanched and said quickly, "You know what? Let's not tell Haley you won a free ticket until we reach Utopia Island..."
Anuvi suddenly tensed and muttered, Looks like we have company…
Hey, Kid, the Jutunkick nodded, jerking his head to his trainer's right. Surfer Boy over there wants a word…
Sapph wheeled about as he heard a late pair of suntanned hands applauding him and turned to see a stocky yet somewhat slim surfer standing on the edge of the pitch.
"Yo, Little Dude! Nice match!" The man called out cheerfully. "Your team has the makings of a pro Poké-Volley team!"
Little Dude? Sapph thought shocked. He wasn't expecting that…
"Though, I'd keep my skills on the low-down if I were you, Little Dude," the surfer dude went on, brushing his long, bushy brown hair out of his bright blue eyes. "Tough competition is drawn to this beach like Limoth to a flame, little man… real tough competition… don't want ya little crew getting' hurt now do we?"
The slight on Sapph's team was the thin line between Sapph's euphoria and rage that the upstart had blatantly crossed… and Sapph was going to let him know it… no quarter given…
"Yeah? Maybe I can show you a thing or two about skills, little man," Sapph shot back, evidently incensed. "Maybe your little crew would like to see what my team can do…"
"I've seen plenty, Little Dude," the surfer retaliated nonchalantly. "But at your level, your skills are like a splash, compared to the big wave which is moi."
"Yeah? Well, why don'tcha put ya skills where your mouth is, Little Dude," Sapph retorted, the flame of anticipation only a good battle could bring lighting up in his eyes.
The surfer grinned as he unhooked a pokéball off the top of his trunks. "Gladly, Little Dude."
"Hey, you!" Haley called after Zeta. "Hold it!"
Zeta complied, amused by the younger girl's rudeness. Turning around in a manner that showed off a slim yet curvy body and said, "May I help you, little miss?"
Ignoring the slight, Haley proceeded to go on the very heavy offensive, "Just what did you think you were doing with Sapph a few minutes ago? Trying to- to make him lose focus?"
Zeta grinned and asked slyly, "What's it to you, little miss? You Blue-Eyes mother?"
"No!"
"Girlfriend?" Zeta persisted, enjoying the taunting game.
Haley went incandescent with embarrassment and yelled, "Hell no!"
"Didn't think so," Zeta said coolly. "So why do you care?"
"I'm his travel buddy!" Haley declared defiantly. "And I'll thank you to refrain form getting near him!"
"Aren't you a jealous bird?" Zeta cooed gently, her green eyes boring into Haley's pewter irises. "Blue-Eyes is a big boy, he can handle himself. He doesn't need you to mother him, if you haven't noticed, mummy," she remarked, a coy emphasis on the last word.
"You want to make something out of this?" Haley yelled, plucking a pokéball out of her net bag and enlarging it.
"Heavens no," Zeta laughed. "Please don't hurt me, mummy! I'll behave!"
Haley was seriously beginning to hate this girl.
"DON'T CALL ME MUMMY!" She roared, causing a few stares as she threw down the pokéball, causing light to explode from within its otherwise hollow interior as it opened. A smallish, slender quadruped hit the beach on all fours, its sea green skin seemingly rippling under the bright noon day sun. The creature fanned out its white, web-like ruff as it opened its small fanged mouth and yawned.
Its long, yellow and dark blue fringed ears resembled fins as they wiggled slightly, it's long, Orchorn-like tail swishing from side to side, looking everything but eager to battle.
"So!" Haley demanded, a proud glint in her eye, Vapor the Vaporeon standing before her. "Are you gonna battle?"
"OK, mummy… two things," Zeta said coolly. "I wouldn't battle you even if I could. You're not really worth that and I wouldn't want to accidentally kill your Vaporeon the day it evolved."
Haley and Vapor were too taken aback by the amount of knowledge the girl had about them or the cold, yet calm way she made her statement to retort.
"Secondly," Zeta continued holding up two fingers to emphasize the point. "Who Sapph wants to date isn't really any of mine, and even less your, business. If you don't like it," she said turning to go, a smile on her lips, "I suggest you do something about it."
With that Zeta walked through the crowd and was soon lost amongst the throng of stunned onlookers.
Haley grit her teeth and swore loudly. What did she mean, 'do something about it'? She wasn't interested in Sapph. The tart (she wasn't sure what that meant, but she heard her mother use it either when she was very angry or when talking about her sister Marjorie) could have him, she didn't care…
A loud cheer went up about thirty yards away from a gaggle of people who'd formed a wide circle around the Poké-Volley pitch obviously watching a post tournament match (she'd heard there was an event going on but was preoccupied with her research to watch). Feeling aggravated, Haley stalked off to the docks to cool off and wait for the ferry to arrive.
"QUICK ATTACK!"
Like two hot-rodders playing chicken, Anuvi and a sandy brown Pokémon pelted across the sand and pounded their forearms into each other's, straining against each other as dust was thrown every where from the force of the collision.
Gngngngngh... Anuvi grunted, looking into the impassive eyes of the large bipedal raccoon who outsized him by half a foot and had roughly twenty pounds over on him, yet had kept up with every high speed manoeuvre Anuvi had performed.
"Yo, Little Dude!" The surfer said comfortably, watching the battle calmly, "Looks like your Squirrage's a little slower that usual. Sure he should be battling?"
"You should worry more about your own Pokémon," Sapph bit back, the indescribable pressure that had settled on him since the Large Claws Pokémon had been released increasing substantially. "Anuvi! Sock it to that thing!"
Hope you're ready, Anuvi muttered to the larger Pokémon, his short claws glowing red as he began slashing repeatedly at every inch of the Terrotor's slightly pot-bellied frame with a high speed Fury Cutter chain combination.
Not batting an eyelid, the Terrotor moved its abnormally large forepaw nails at the same speed, blocking Anuvi's every strike with minimal effort.
"That- that just ain't possible!" Sapph gasped, watching the two Pokémon trade blows at the middle of the makeshift field. "Nothing could keep up with Anuvi before!"
"Little Dude," the man said calmly amidst a tirade of feral yells from both Pokémon sped up their attack tempo, not missing a beat, "you have no idea how messed up your battling is right now..."
The two cut their tango short with a collision of claws that forced the duo apart several feet, Anuvi panting slightly with the effort of keeping the speed up.
Odd, he thought, his chest heaving with near exhaustion. I know I received a bit of a downgrade after Zula's attacks, but this is mad! Is he speeding up, or am I slowing down?
Amiho, the Terrotor said in a voice just like his trainer albeit with a hint of a Hispanic voice, addressing his oppoonent with the Dunede word for friend, You ain't slowing down. I ain't speeding up. You just couldn't match me from the start. I'm too big a wave for you to top, dude.
Anuvi and Sapph's eyes widened in shock.
Anuvi's eyes relaxed a second later and raising his right palm to shoulder height, said calmly, OK. Try this one on for size.
The Ground type raccoon Pokémon readied its claws for whatever attack it thought the Squirrage would have coming next.
But he wasn't ready for what did come next as a sudden, invisible shockwave of air struck the ground at his feet and threw up an explosion of sand right in its face.
"What was that?" Sapph exclaimed, his arm shielding his eyes from the hot sand.
I call it "Kamikaze", Anuvi replied quietly, the dust seeming to not affect him as all. Basically a hyped up Wind Attack.
"When the heck did you learn that?" Sapph gasped in awe. "And from whom?"
Anuvi didn't answer; he just looked on. He couldn't trust himself to speak just then. He'd betray his weakness, his sorrow to his opponent and team mate, one thing he'd vowed never to do again since that day.
The crowd screamed and threw up their hands or brought down their tinted shades in desperate attempts to keep the sand out of their faces. The surfer however, merely narrowed his eyes a little and said to himself, "Interesting move, Little Dude. Real interesting..."
Raising its forearm higher, he was desperately trying to see two paces ahead of him, despite his affiliation to the sand based on his type.
"Stay cool, Terrotor!" the surfer ordered with a steely note in his voice. "Ride the dust cloud out!"
"Now's our chance, Anuvi!" Sapph exclaimed. "Get 'im!"
Anuvi, crouched low, building up power like a cyclone within himself and silently took off like a bullet straight into the dust cloud, a flash of green fur and power.
No one could see just what was going on inside the dusty nimbus as battle cries rang out from both Pokémon and smaller explosions could be heard and felt through the sand. Suddenly a large form leapt up and backwards out of the cloud just as it began to settle, revealing the Squirrage crouched low to the sandy ground.
He's good, Sapph, Anuvi said succinctly. Real good. Even under all that cover...
"You couldn't land a single hit?!" Sapph finished for his Pokémon in a dumbfounded voice, his throat dry from all the yelling and the sand.
Anuvi nodded wordlessly thinking, You're real good at this, Terrotor. Sorry it had to come to this...
With his hands clasped tightly together and on one knee, Anuvi gave the spectators the impression that he was praying. Sapph and the surfer's attention however, was on the Warrior Pokémon's back as the cowl of leaves began to ripple and shift as though in a high wind.
So he plans to end it here, hunh? The man thought to himself as his Terrotor began to fall back to earth. OK, Little Dude. We'll get serious too...
"Anuvi... LEAF STORM!" Sapph yelled pointing at the falling Large Claws Pokémon vindictively for emphasis.
HAH! Anuvi yelled, his focus sharpening greatly as a rush of foliage erupted from his back and rising like a great wave, fully intending to swamp the Ground type and end the battle.
"We got him now!" Sapph said, pumping his fist in anticipation of a tremendous hit. No Ground type could take a Grass attack of this magnitude, no matter how strong they were...
The surfer seemed to think so too. Not missing a beat, he ordered, "OK, Terrotor, no more messing around. X-Scissor, now! And follow it up with Magnitude, cranked up to eight!"
The Terrotor's claws gleamed gold as it brought them down in an X-shaped pattern, creating a large X-shape that turned the tide of leaves into compost.
Sapph and Anuvi barely had time to register their shock as Terrotor's whole body glowed with a dull grey halo and hit the sandy ground hard, ripples spreading out and shaking everybody up.
"You fought well, Little Dude," the man said quietly, "but it's over. One more X-Scissor, Terrotor."
Sapph and Anuvi were still jittery from the last attack and were one step too late to stop the advancing Terrotor. Though in hindsight, Sapph thought later that day, they wouldn't have been able to follow its movements anyway.
One second the Terrotor was right in Anuvi's face, the next (the two instances separated by a pair of blinding gold flashes and a pair of loud slicing noises) the Large Claws Pokémon was behind him, a small cloud of dust rising from his feet.
Sorry, amiho, the Terrotor spoke, but it's just as I said... you just couldn't top the wave that is me.
Glaring behind him at Terrotor's back, his began to sink to the floor, thinking, Im-impossible... I... lost?!
With a muffled thump, Anuvi hit the sands in a dead faint, his look of disbelief, which mirrored Sapph's perfectly, still etched on his pointed face.
"No... no way," Sapph said in shock, dropping Anuvi's pokéball and falling to his knees as Terrotor straightened up and returned to his master's pokéball with the slightest of glances. "We... lost? How?"
"I'll tell you, Little Dude," the man said, walking towards him and kneeling next to him. Up close, his face looked like a youth a year or two older than T.J. as it was as boyish as it was rugged. "You tried to fight the flow."
"What flow?!" Sapph asked angrily. "The flow of what?"
"Whoa, Little Dude. Mellow out," the man said sympathetically as he picked up the white pokéball and returned the felled Warrior Pokémon to his sphere. "I mean the flow of the battle. Battling's like riding a gnarly curl, Little Dude, you try too hard to take control; you wipe out. But if you make yourself flexible and go with that flow, wait for the right opportunity to turn it around and take it, then every battle becomes a totally tubular experience. I'm not so great at the deep stuff, man... Old Man Herb's the real big wave at that stuff."
Clapping Sapph on the shoulder in brotherly fashion, the man smiled and added, "What I do know, Little Dude, is that next time we do this, it'll be a wave to remember."
And walking away towards the sea, picking up a bright blue and banana yellow surfboard, he thought, After all... Little Dudes don't exactly match up well against Elite Four members...
"What do you mean, you can't help me?!" Sapph asked the nurse tetchily as she filed her nails.
"I mean, I can't help you," the nurse explained kindly. "Not if you want to make the ferry for Utopia Island today. It won't leave for another four days after today."
Sapph's shoulders sagged in defeat. This wasn't good. Anuvi needed help and if he got it, he'd be stuck in town for four days. Steeling his resolve, he opened his mouth to tell the nurse he'd stay anyway when she said, "However-"
Taken aback by the presence of a third option, Sapph fell silent and listened.
"There is a Pokémon Center facility on the ferry," the nurse went on with a smile. "If you hurry, you can get treatment for him there. I'll give them a call for you," she offered, reaching for the phone on the reception desk.
"Thank you so much!" Sapph said, almost a little faint with gratitude, turning to bolt out of the Center and to the wharf, still in his trunks.
"Wait, Sapph!" Nurse Joy called, covering the earpiece of the phone with one slender hand. "Aren't you forgetting your things?"
Skidding to a halt, inches from the doors, Sapph mentally struck himself on the head and dashed in the opposite direction towards the sleeping quarters set up for the nurse and travellers.
Sapph was still cursing himself for his grievous lapse in memory as he pelted into the corridor that led to his room and found a surprise waiting outside his door.
"Z-zeta?!" Sapph gasped, stumbling as he watched the attractive girl start and whirl around looking to see who had called out to her.
"B-Blue-Eyes!" she called out, smiling a charming smile while thinking, Oh, crap! Wasn't Gawain supposed to keep a lookout? Stupid brother...
"So what brings you all the way here?" Sapph asked curiously. "Did I take Togi by mistake? Or did he get lost and wander around my room?" Sapph had a look of playful annoyance on his face.
"Well, erm..." Zeta stammered, trying to pick a good cover story and finding none would suit the bill.
"Wait a minute," Sapph said slowly, thinking hard (Zeta's heart missed a couple of beats at the serious tone of his voice), "I know what's going on..."
Zeta began to sweat bullets as her mind was in complete and utterly panicked disarray.
Damnit... I didn't think I'd need to fight my way out of trouble here, Zeta thought frantically. What do I do? What do I do?!
Cupping a balled fist in his palm, he said with the air of a master detective coming to a logical conclusion, he blurted out, "You like me, don'tcha?"
"Bwuh?!" Zeta mumbled, totally thrown by the absurdity of the boy's far-fetched conclusion. Seriously? He's this clueless?! She thought in shock.
Sapph regarded her dumbfounded expression much like a Slowpoke would contemplate higher calculus and asked, "Am I wrong?"
Zeta's mind after realising her mistake, was working furiously to find a way to cover up for its folly. Think fast, Zeta... think fast! Think fast, act fast, move fast!
And without conscious thought, Zeta did the only thing available: cupping Sapph's face in both soft hands, she pulled his face right up to hers and lip locked him.
That's right, folks. Lip locked him... as in kiss. Snog. Full-out, full-blown kiss him.
Sapph's eyes went wide in shock as the next twenty or so seconds passed in silence. Not that it wasn't enjoyable; Zeta, for one, seemed to enjoy the kiss immensely which went from forceful to soft, tender and if they were any older, slightly sensual... it was the fact that (Sapph went Spelon red in the face as he thought it) it was his first kiss.
Another ten seconds later, Sapph began to feel a little faint for lack of air and Zeta finally released him, her green eyes closed, and a slight sigh escaping her lips.
Opening her eyes, a smile crept up her cheeks and blushed slightly as to how taken Sapph seemed to have taken the kiss. Gibbering faintly like an electrocuted Aipom and looking as red-faced as a sunburned Electrode, all Sapph could mutter was, "Woo-er?"
"Something to remember me by," she said playfully, licking her lips slightly, looking cuter by the second. "You like?"
"Woo-er?"
Giggling, she slid away form the door and sauntered down the corridor, saying, "See you around, Blue-Eyes."
All Sapph said as he raised a hand in vacant farewell was, "Woo-er."
Zeta hurried down the corridor, around the corner and out of sight, lightly touching her lips as she went.
"You enjoyed that a little too much, don't you think?" A taunting voice sounded out from the janitor's closet as she walked past.
Stopping in her tracks, she turned her head around slightly and muttered, "Gawain. You butt munch... what happened to keeping a look-out? And what do you mean, 'a bit too much'?"
"Sorry," a boy laughed, stepping out of the closet to face her. His sun-bleached blond bangs spiked up, Gawain seemed rather tall, and unless he was faking it, rather cowed by the angry preteen girl standing before him.
"D'you know how long you snogged him for?" Gawain asked, a mean smile creeping up his lips.
Shrugging, Zeta decided to humour him, "I dunno... ten seconds?"
"Try forty five, little sister," Gawain said, laughing a cold laugh that didn't reach his ruby red irises. "I think he's right; you do like him!"
"Shut up," Zeta snapped. "Nothing would have happened if... hey!" she interjected loudly as Gawain suddenly grabbed her and pulled her back into the closet quickly, and not a moment too soon. Sapph came around the corner a second after the door clicked shut, jogging in a slow yet vacant manner towards the front door and the docks.
"That was close," Zeta said, listening to his footfalls disappear into the distance.
"Aww," Gawain cooed with a laugh. "Who'd have guessed you were this shy?"
"Buuuh- WUH?!" Zeta said in startled preoccupation, her mind a million miles and three minutes back in time away.
"Ah-hah!" Gawain crowed in triumph. "Zeta's got a boyfriend, Zeta's got a boy-friend!"
At this, Zeta's green eyes narrowed, and...
SMACK!
Zeta flounced out of the closet her cheeks bright pink, leaving Gawain sprawled amongst a mess of mop heads and buckets and a bright red, stinging palm print upon his cheek.
Chuckling to himself, Gawain pulled himself to his feet and slouched out after her, laughing "Wait until the other lieutenants hear this!"