Chapter 17: A Cool future

'I lie in my bed of old netting and planks, one thought repeating over and over in my head.'

"I'm pretty bad at names."

-"Karp?!"

"Well yeah, I sure did come up with your name, Aurum. But what I mean is, it takes me a while to get around to naming things. Didn't even ask what your name was till, what? Months after we met?"

-"Magikarp, kar."

"Guess most pokemon don't have names, huh? Still, I do have one so it should have been second nature to ask yours." They absentmindedly toss a round-ish piece of somebody's boat engine into the air... er, into the water above themselves, a few times.

"I didn't even think to name our group. It probably shouldn't just stay as just The Group, right? We've got to call ourselves something!"

-"Kar... Magi?"

"That's not bad! Better than my idea anyway. The Cooler Crew. Hah!"

-"Karp!"

"Hey, where are you going? I didn't sign off on that name! Get back here and help me come up with something cooler! I mean... dammit." 'Hope the others can talk some sense into that guy.'

'But! That is a headache for another day! I have to check up on my other headache.'

Heading out to the newly refurbished pier... in progress, Jessie finds that familiar old line and gives it a few tugs.

"Hey kid, I'm back."

-"Tenty! You're back!"

"Yeah, I just said that. We really need to work on your- Hey, what's up? What's with the face?"

-"T-tenty, I was so worried. I thought I lost you forever." *sniffle*

-"After what happened, I thought you were angry with me. And- and that you'd never come back! I told my mom what happened and she said the rangers were all fussed and didn't want anyone to try and catch you anymore because of all the problems that the fishermen caused and it would be bad for your health and your mental health if they tried ensnaring a pokemon like they did and I just-"

The rambling kid bursts into tears, nearly dropping his fishing rod off the dock. Tenty- I mean Jessie! quickly grabs it, pulling themselves up onto dry-ish land.

"Woah woah, take it easy! Sure I got mad at you, but I'm not about to go swearing off humans forever or anything" 'Well actually I might. I got pretty banged up last time...'

-"I'm so sorry, Tenty! I wasn't thinking when I got all those guys to come fight you. It's my fault you got hurt. You must've been so scared when they all ganged up on you like that. I wasn't thinking of how you felt at all."

"Well... yeah, it did feel bad. That's big of you to admit your mistakes, kid. A good skill to learn early on, trust me."

-"But that's not all! See, it's- it's time for me to leave home! I wanted to try and catch you before I left, but well, look."

They take out a brand new pokeball and release a Sentret.

"Oh jeez, is it that time or year already? Fall is right around the corner, you know? Not really the best time to head out from home... But I'm sure you've given it some thought. As for you, hi there! You this kid's pokemon?"

-"Sentret!" *proud nods*

-"See, my mom gave me this pokemon so I could go start my adventure. I wanted you to be my first pokemon, but I chased you away instead. So, I'm gonna try to be a better trainer first, then come catch you. Okay, Tenty?"

"Yeah... no. I'm still not gonna be your pokemon. I'm a free bird-fish-jelly-thing. You get the idea."

-"Okay! It's a promise!"

-"Sen..."

"Yeah, good luck with this guy. He's a bit dense."

-"Sen Sentret." *resigned nod*

-"So will you see me off, Tenty? I'd like to battle you and see just how far I need to go to become strong enough to catch you. Please?"

"Heh." Raising up as high as a jellyfish can while on land, Jessie assumes a combat stance.

"Now we're speaking the same language."

Back at The Cooler Crew's hideout-

"GOD DAMNIT AURUM!"

-the crew was looking over the new applicants to their group. A fresh batch of three Tentacool!

Chatty, the representative of the trio, told them all about how there was a divide in the Tentacool swarm. Due to the power and influence of the Tentacruel who dominated the lot, nobody was willing to speak up and seek coexistence with any non-jellyfish pokemon.

Now that one had finally rose up against it, spoken of and lived a life of cooperation with the many races of the sea, more were willing to consider the prospect. These two in particular truly did not enjoy life under The Cruel, but had little choice with no group to take them in.

Now however, there were those who were willing to leave, provided The Cooler Crew was able to protect them. And so they came for two reasons.

1) They would seek asylum amongst the group and would join up in exchange for protection.
2) Jessie and a group of his finest warriors would need to prove themselves against some pokemon sent by The Cruel.

If he succeeded, they and many others would join up with no questions asked. They would hunt alongside the pokemon in this part of the ocean, but would not hunt them. If he failed however, the wrath of the Tentacool swarm would fall upon not only Jessie and those warriors of his, but on the entire coastline and all those who lived within.