Another longer drabble. I didn't realize how long it was until I looked at the wordcount actually XD. Anyway, enjoy!

Drabble 16: Zest

Shauntal's birthday was coming up and Marshal was nearly out of his mind in preparation. That lovely, smiling, purple-haired girl would love anything he gave her, he knew, but he wanted to absolutely dazzle her, make her jump up and hug him with joy. She kept her emotions bottled up so much and only rarely did she allow them to come gushing out in a torrent of either extreme happiness, or sadness. Making her happy was his biggest goal in life, even bigger than becoming Pokemon Champion which had been his dream since he was nine. That was all he ever wanted, to see her smiling every minute.

He was poor, something he wasn't proud of. His position as one of the Elite Four of the Unova region provided him with food and a place to stay, though it did little in the way of actual money. Shauntal had made a small fortune from her success as an author and even though he won his cage fights almost every time, they still didn't pull in enough for him to get her a mansion like they dreamed, at least not a for a while.

More often he would make her something. She seemed to like that kind of gift better anyway, since it came straight from his heart. One year he'd painted her a picture of two characters from one of her books. It could still be seen hanging on the wall of her battle room. This time he'd spent days on the shores of Driftveil city, fishing for Kingler. Seafood was Shauntal's favorite and Kingler legs were the best dish in the world to her. Her mouth practically watered at just hearing the words.

Marshal grinned as he sat on the gritty brown shore of Driftveil Bay, holding his super-rod and watching his pokeball-colored bobber go under after an hour and a half of motionlessness. With the reflexes of a master, he yanked the rod up, pulling up yet another huge, red crab. His Breloom knocked it down to critical health with a single Sky Uppercut and then put it to sleep with Spore. Then he caught it with an ultra ball and set it next to the other two nestled in the sand beside him. Just two more catches and he'd be done. He'd emptied every space in his party, save one for his Breloom, so he could catch five of the ornery, red delicacies. Then he would take them straight to the Striaton Brothers. They would prepare them with just the kind of zest Shauntal liked and for a fair price, too.

He was humming a cheery tune, pleased with himself when something whizzed by across the water. He only saw it for a second, but it looked like a tall tanned boy with blue hair whooping with joy as he rode by on a gigantic Wailord. Marshal recognized him as Marlon, one of the new Gym Leaders. A tall, foamy wake trailed behind the Pokemon and the resulting wave surged toward Marshal. Quick as a ninja, he backflipped away... before remembering he'd left the Kinglers!

"No!" Marshal shouted as he dashed toward the balls, but the water had already washed over them. As the wave receded, he frantically looked over where they had been. All he saw was dark sand. "NO!NO!NO!" He screamed with rage as he stomped the water, beat the surf like it was an enemy.

"Marshal?" he heard from behind, that sweet familiar voice. "What's wrong?"

He turned to see Shauntal standing there, a notebook under arm. She must have come here to write.

"I was looking for you, you know," Shauntal said. "What are you doing out here anyway? Trying to catch a Poliwrath or something?"

"I was fishing for Kingler legs for you," Marshal said glumly. "Your birthday's tomorrow. I worked so hard. I've been here since Monday, but... but they," he kicked the water. "I'm sorry, I'm-"

His girlfriend hugged him. "It's okay, it's okay. That's so sweet that you spent all that time trying to get me something special, but you didn't have to. You already got me a present."

"Huh?" Marshal asked, sniffling.

"That poem you wrote for me last week," Shauntal said, smiling just like he'd wanted. "It was so pretty and it made me so happy. I don't need anything else."

Marhsal smiled too and took her in his big, muscled arms. He'd just written that because it had come to him. It was how he felt about her. "I love you."

"Oh, I love you too," Shauntal replied, kissing him on the cheek.

"Hey, why don't you help me out," Marshal said, waving his super rod. "I bet if we both fish, we'll have a Kingler leg dinner for you by tomorrow."

"Sounds great," Shauntal replied. They sat down beside each other and she took out her own super rod. The sun was setting in the distance and the green haired boy was sailing off into the horizon. "I love coming to the beach with you."

"Me too," Marshal said, putting down his rod and tackling her into the sand, making her giggle. They only got a little fishing done that night, both of them easily getting bored of that, but something told Marshal he'd made her even happier than seafood ever could. That was satisfying.

IIIIII

Even on the worst days that certain something can make you feel better :). Sometimes we all try too hard to be fancy XD.