Chapter 22: Cool afterparty
'I remember learning about Pokemon Rangers in school, they were the people you called when things weren't right in nature. I always thought they were so cool! The job title is literally to be a hero! Going out and saving the day with the help of pokemon, that's a dream job if I ever saw one. If I wasn't so set on becoming a pokemon trainer, I might have decided to join up with them.'
'Back when I spent the night in jail, over that whole Bellsprout debacle, I saw a pamphlet on a work-release program with the rangers. I could have my "criminal history" forgiven more easily and integrate with society. The officer watching over me (who didn't believe a word of my side of the story until long after the evidence came out) thought I was a troubled child. They insisted I at least apply to the program that night. Wouldn't even let me use my one phone call until I did. Pretty sure that's illegal, but it's not like anyone was believing me anyway so what did that matter? I signed up just to get things moving.'
'They actually responded pretty quickly! The Ranger Academy said they have a place for people like me who got on the wrong side of the law, through my own fault or not. I wound up taking a tour of the place, learning a few tricks, playing with the pokemon. It was so fun... Part of me regrets never taking them up on their offer. Maybe if I had, I wouldn't have been stuck playing professor's assistant for as long as I did. But my heart was set. My stupid, stupid heart.'
'Aurum interrupts my musings, wondering what I'm doing staring at that bundle of half-smashed eggs we salvaged from the pokemon center.'
"I'm just thinking, do you think I'd make a good parent?"
-"K-karp?" *blush*
"Wh- no! Not like that! I mean, you're beautiful, but I'm a guy to, you know? Not- not a deal breaker as far as relationships go, but no eggs, yeah?"
-"Magikarp, kar kar?"
"I meant like, these guys might not make it. Even if I help out as much as I can, they might not make it. And if I did, who would take care of them? The locals would probably sooner eat these guys than raise them. No judgement from me, that's just nature-"
-"Karp." *nods sagely*
"But I was thinking about taking them in anyway. If any of these hatch and actually make it to battling age, we could use the help with our little 'Warband' problem on the horizon. But even if they didn't join in the fighting... don't you feel like you could use some good news right about now? We deserve it after that fiasco."
Aurum takes a long moment to think, staring at the eggs. Then, gently, they pad the eggs down with seaweed, stopping any further leaks from forming.
-"Magikarp! Magi-magikarp."
"Hey now, who went and decided I was leader here? I didn't even want to name the group that! But... thanks, Aurum. You're a real one!"
-"Kar?"
"A real good friend!"
-"Karp!" *happy splashing*
Elsewhere, the rangers had returned to the area to scope out the damage. There they witnessed wild pokemon scavenging the place, clearing away debris from the ocean and beach, and helping any wild or displaced pokemon that had gotten hurt after the incident.
"Incredible, it's like they all came together to help. Pokemons' compassion never fails to amaze me! Let's give them a hand, hey Pichu?"
-"Pi!"
The pair begin recruiting nearby pokemon from the woods to help out the cleaning. Along the way, Pichu hears tale of a mysterious Tentacool that worked together with some others to fought off the wild Tentacruel who caused this incident. Using some rudimentary charades, Pichu somehow manages to get the gist of this news to their partner.
"A Tentacool? Working alongside other pokemon? Not completely unheard of, but super rare for Tentacools in this area. Especially considering that violent Tentacruel was leading a band of them around doing all that damage. So it can't have been one from their group, unless there was some kind of internal dispute?"
-"Pi-pichu. Chu!"
"That's wrong, huh? Okay, so a different Tentacool acting outside of that group... Ah! Tenty! That kid from before was asking about a special Tentacool named Tenty!"
-"Pichu-pi!"
"You're right! Records indicate that the dispute between sailors and fishermen from a few weeks ago was also caused by them trying to corner and capture a wild Tentacool that had a rare move it wouldn't normally learn. They must be connected somehow."
"If that Tentacool also managed to befriend and convince these pokemon around here to help out after the disaster, then it's possible they may be willing to help us one step further."
-"Pichu." With a new mission in mind and potential for cooperation on the horizon, the tiny mouse sets off to gain an audience with the enigmatic leader of The Cooler Crew.