This chapter begins the final leg of this fanfiction. I hope that this chapter gives you guys a nice idea of how Cameron has changed throughout the story.
Anyways, I started this fanfiction about 3 months ago to the day. 85k+ words later and I think it's going well. The story will not end this month, so don't worry there is plenty more to go.
"Wow." Caleb says as he looks outside the window.
"Yup," I say with a warm smile.
"Is Hoenn actually this beautiful?"
"Yessiree."
We were on a small plane heading to Slateport City which allows seaplanes to land nearby. I was really nervous about coming here. My palms were really sweaty and my heart was about to burst out of my chest.
When we landed, it didn't get any better.
We were brought by boat from the sea to the beach where we met a family friend.
"Holy Crap. Is that Steven?" Caleb exclaimed.
Last week I had gotten in touch with Steven. I told him that I was coming and I wanted to surprise Carl. I asked if he could get us a boat to Petalburg and he offered to take us himself. I guess it pays for your family to be close to the most powerful and well-known man in Hoenn.
I look at Caleb who looks at me with his mouth open. I don't say anything. I just smile and say hello to Steven.
"Cameron. It's so great to see you."
"It's good to see you too, Steven."
He looked at Caleb and held out his hand. Caleb looked down at his hand and then at me causing me to laugh. He was star-struck. He eventually did shake Steven's hand.
"So are you ready to go Petalburg or do you want to shop?" Steven joked.
I chuckle and answer, "I'll come back and shop. I need to go see Carl."
"Oh right. You are surprising him for the Tournament."
"Yeah. I can't wait to see his reaction."
"You know, he's highly regarded here. He's likely to get a top 5 seed."
Caleb seemed surprised that Carl was thought to be that good. Stephen went on to say that he was pushing to give Carl a number 2 ranking but the other Tournament officials disagree.
"Who's number 1?" I ask.
"Astor Pines. It's Unanimous."
I knew Astor Pines. He lived in Mauville City and was known to be the next big thing. Some went as far to compare him to my dad. I can't say that I approve of the comparisons but I also can't say that I like him either. He comes from a very arrogant family. They think they are a gift from the Gods and I'm not about that life.
"Oh I forgot. I got you two passes for the Tournament. You guys get VIP treatment as my guests. You'll be in my box as we watch."
"Wait. Are you serious?" Caleb asks.
"Mhm." Steven was amused by how ecstatic Caleb was.
When we got close to Petalburg I was able to spot the gym behind the trees. My heart was beginning to race again.
"So I heard your mom has become quite a force in the berry selling business in Alola?"
"Uh Yeah. She and Caleb's sister are growing berries and selling them."
Caleb jumped in, "And they are using us as their carrier pigeons."
Stephen and I laugh.
"I'm guessing she's using your dad's growing methods, huh?"
I nod. "She's loving it. She hasn't been this happy in a long time."
Steven looked down at me in the corner of his eye and smiled a little bit.
And then we arrived. We stepped out of the boat and I took a deep breath, taking in the once familiar but now foreign smells. This is home.
An old men sitting outside of his cabin, Mr. Briney, notices me and waves. He gets up off his chair and walks towards us.
"Oh my dear boy. Is it really you? Cameron?"
"Yes, Mr. Briney."
"How is Alola treating you?" he asks in his deep, chattered voice.
"Very well. I'm hoping to take part in the Alolan Tournament."
"Oh that's fantastic my boy. I'm sure you will make your dad proud. And how is your mom doing?"
We continued to have some small talk about my mom and how he misses her stew. Mr. Briney can ramble on and on. I used to hate it, but I'm not minding it right now. I didn't realize until just now how much I actually missed it.
Once we were done it was time for me to walk into the town. Some people began to look, point, and chatter. Some because of me and other for Steven. I heard a couple "Oh my god, it's Cameron Alistar." I did my best to ignore it.
I finally made it to Carl's home. It was this nice light blue home with wooden Pokemon like Taillow and Wooper hanging from the porch awning. Carl's sister and mom love to make Pokemon out of wood to decorate.
"You want me to go up there with you?" Caleb asks noticing my tentativeness.
"Nah. I got this."
I don't got this. I'm scared.
I walk up and take a deep breath. My arm feels like it weighs twice my weight as I lift it to knock on the door. I knock three times. Each time felt like I was hitting it with a hammer.
And then the door opened.
How do I explain how that felt? Imagine being on a rollercoaster. You are so excited and maybe a little scared as you go up. You keep going up and the fear sorta builds, but so does the excitement. Then you reach the top, the ride slows a little, and your heart stops beating for a split second. That's where I am right now.
"Cameron?"
"Hey," I mutter weakly.
I hate to be sappy but I am so close to crying as I look at Carl's face. I know I've seen his face many times in video chat but it's just not the same. Just like when you text someone. It's not the same as hanging out with them and talking.
"Wha-what are you doing here?"
I tilt my head and smile. "I heard there was a Tournament next week. Wanted to see it."
Even though he was smiling I saw a stray tear flow down the side of his face so I grabbed him by the arm and hugged him. I hugged him so tight I didn't want to let him go.
We slowly pushed away from each other and composed ourselves.
"I didn't think you were going to come," he said.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world. I'm sorry I kept it a secret. I wanted to surprise you."
Carl smiled, "You don't have to apologize."
Steven and Caleb walked up to the house and stood beside me. Carl looked past me and his eyebrows shot up.
"Oh hey, I didn't even see you two. Um p-please come on in. I'm actually making some lunch."
While Caleb stood outside I can tell he was a bit shy. Can't say I blame him.
After Steven came in, Caleb followed. Carl shook his hand and welcomed him to Hoenn.
"Have you gone to see Mrs. Collins?" Carl asks as he mixes something in a pot on the stove.
"Nope. I talked to Mr. Briney but otherwise I came straight here."
"Oh man. You have to go see her. She always asks about how you are doing."
Mrs. Collins was one of my neighbors when I lived here. She is this sweet, middle-aged woman who made the best cookies ever. When I was growing up I used to go over every morning for one of her cookies. She was viewed as the Mom of Petalburg City, which is kinda cool and sad at the same time. She can't have children.
I remember when I was 10 years old and rumors circulated about it. She had become reclusive and depressed. She stopped making cookies and taking her normal sunset strolls on the beach One day I and a group of kids in the neighborhood showed up to her house. Our message was clear, she was all of our moms. From that day on she improved, I guess you can say. She went back to making cookies and her walks. If anything she became better from that rough patch in her life.
"After lunch. I'm hungry and I think Caleb is hungry."
"Don't forget about Skitty," Caleb said as he picked up Skitty off the ground.
"Haha right. The other human mouth in the room," Carl jokes.
"How is your training going?" Steven asks Carl.
"It's going quite well actually," Carl responds. "Sceptile, can you come in here for a moment."
You can hear a groan from the other room where I assume Sceptile is.
"Where's your parents and sister?" I ask.
"Oh they are in Rustboro. Some meeting at the Trainer School or whatever." Sceptile then walks in looking like it was in a trance. Carl turns around from cooking and looks at Sceptile and chuckles. "Were you sleeping? Oops."
Steven and I chuckle while Caleb only smiles. Caleb is constantly rubbing his wrist as a sign of nerves. I whisper to him, "Relax," and smile.
"Sceptile can you please get the cooling rack up there. I'm too short." Sceptile doesn't move, he just glares at Carl getting some laughs from us. "Please" Carl says with a playful smile.
Sceptile groans and walks over to the counter and reaches up above the cabinets and grabs the rack. He lightly places it down on the counter and stares at Carl as if he's waiting for further instruction.
"Thanks buddy. You can go now," Carl says stifling a chuckle.
As Sceptile leaves I ask, "What I don't get a hi?"
Sceptile stops and looks at me. It stares for a few moments and then walks away.
"Man, that is one pissy Sceptile," I joke.
"Yeah, he doesn't like be woken up. He doesn't like being bothered, period." Carl seemed amused by bothering Sceptile.
Carl has made a sauce of sorts along with bread. For as long as I've known him he's been obsessed with baking. So we all ate his bread and enjoyed the sauce. I don't know what the sauce was but it was delicious. It was specifically made to dip the bread in and I was in heaven.
As we ate we talked a lot about how things were going in Hoenn. And well, it's pretty boring. Everyone is still enjoying an age of prosperity after The Great Conflict between Team Magma and Team Aqua. Rustboro City has seen an influx of investors and there are new plans for several large buildings including a mall.
There was always this need for a shopping mall in Rustboro. For those in western Hoenn going to Lilycove or even Mauville is a task. There has always been a desire for a grand mall here. When Mauville was completely redesigned there were fears it wouldn't happen. Thankfully, it seems that it is finally coming.
"Yes the mall should be good. You two know I've been trying to get one built for ages. The mayor has just been stingy in his old age," Steven says.
"Is there worry about competition with Slateport City and Mauville?" I ask.
"Yes. However, I've pledged to make sure we don't sell the same rare stuff they sell in Slateport and vice-versa. Our main focus is to sell common goods in bulk, so Mauville can kick rocks. But we also have a surprise planned."
That got Carl's attention. "And what is that?"
"A floor dedicated to Pokemon battles. That's what I want," he responded. He went to say he'd want the ceiling above to see through so those on the floor above can watch as they shop.
We all agreed that it would be pretty cool to watch a Pokemon battle in the middle of shopping or having a lunch break during shopping.
Talking about the changes that have occurred since I've been gone and ones that will be made gives me this weird feeling. It makes it seem like I've been gone for a longer time than I actually have been.
When we go outside to take a walk to the Collins house I take in the sounds and smells of Petalburg. I look down at the ground as I watch each step I take. Nostalgic.
Mrs. Collins was sitting on he rocking chair cutting up some food for a stew she is making when she looks up and spots us.
"Cameron Alistar. You've come back home," she says with a smile. She places her pot and bag of vegetables down and approaches us. She nods towards Steven and gives me a hug.
"My my. It is so wonderful to see you again." She places her hand on my face and smiles. "You have grown in these last few month, huh." She looks down and see the Pokeballs on my waist. "Oh and you're a trainer too. Just like your dad."
She looked behind and spotted Caleb and asked who that was.
"That's um my boyfriend. We've been partaking in the Alolan Island Challenge. We'll be in the Tournament there in a couple months."
"Boyfriend, huh?" she asked. She looked at us for a few moments and smiled. "I'm glad you've found someone, Cameron. And I'm sure you will do just fine in the Tournament."
I thanked her for her kind words and she told us to wait for a moment outside. She proceeded to go into her house and then came out with a canister of her famous cookies. She handed each of us a cookie.
I waited until Caleb took a bite of his before eating mine I wanted to see his reaction and when his eyes shot up and said that it was delicious I smiled and ate mine.
"How is your mother and brother?"
"They are fine. My mom is selling berries in Alola. She's happy," I answer.
"Ah good good. I'm glad. Your mother is a wonderful women."
We left Mrs. Collins soon after and promised to visit tomorrow morning. Then we walked back to the center of the town towards the gym. Next to the gym was a bricked home. There was a mailbox in the shape of a Zigzagoon
It was my old home. It was now home to a new family, The Martins. They had come from Johto, a young couple and there 3 children.
I walked up and knocked on the door. A man, Mr. Martin opened the door.
"You're Cameron, right? Eliza's son?" He asked.
"Yes Mr. Martin."
"Oh please. Call me Eric. I didn't know you were visiting."
"I just arrived."
Mr. Martin invited us in and allowed me to take a gander at my old home. His wife and children were there. As I watched them in the places where my family used to gather I got flashbacks. Flashbacks to the birthday parties, the dinners, the barbecues.
The oldest, Johnny, took Caleb and I to his room; my old room. It was drastically different. The red paint that I had on the walls was replaced with a dark blue. My posters of some of my favorite Pokemon were replaced with posters this kid likes. It was strange to be in this room. It was familiar yet foreign.
That's a running theme with my visit to Hoenn in the early going.
We left the room and then the house. Mr. Martin walked us out and told me that I was welcome to visit whenever I wanted.
As we walked to the center of the town I was gripped with the elephant in the room. In all of my interactions it seems that people were avoiding the reason why they were surprised I was here. My dad. He didn't come up in one conversation and it just seemed like people were worried to bring him up. I don't want them to be.
Steven says he is going to leave when I decide to speak out and stop him.
"Wait. Don't go yet."
Caleb and Carl look at me. I hear Carl whisper, "He's not."
Caleb then whispers, "He's not what?"
"I want to thank you for taking your time off to bring me here," I say to Steven.
"It was my pleasure, Cameron. Your dad was my best friend. I will do anything for you and your family." He stood several feet in front of me in his blue blazer looking as confident as ever. It was as if he owned the land but was humble about it.
"He's going to do something stupid. I can see it in his eyes," Carl says to Caleb.
I take a deep breath and grab a pokeball.
"I know that, which is why I simply cannot let you leave with making it worth your while." I took my Pokeball and tossed it. "Go Decidueye!"
Carl whispers again, "See. Never fails."
Steven smiled and chuckled. "I won't go easy on you."
"Good," I say.
Steven reaches into his blazer and grabs a Great Ball. He lightly tosses it and out comes Metagross.
Quickly a crowd began to form around us, people muttering and chanting. Decidueye turned around and nodded after I nodded at him. I looked at Steven who's gaze was fixed on me and nodded. He nodded back letting me know that the battle was on.
It was Steven versus me. Metagross versus Decidueye. I was out of my depth but completely in my element.