Chapter 26: A Cool party

"So, about our captive. Have they, you know, said anything about any other members of their gang that might be lurking around?"

-"Pidge, Pidgey Pidgey pid!"

"Ow! Okay okay, I'm sorry I keep asking! Just stop with the pecking!"

'Three days and still no sign of the ranger. I'm getting worried. Now that we know there are Rockets in the area, I'm not so sure letting him go out alone, even with Chatty and the Pidgeotto, was a good idea.'

'Our prisoner has been anything but cooperative. Not just because of the language barrier either. He's just plain rude! Even out here by the sea I can hear him ranting off about how he's gonna get back at all of us once his gang gets back!'

'That said, I have my own gang to put the squeeze on him whenever he gets too rowdy... Okay, that sounds bad, but it's actually just a Jigglypuff who volunteered to put him back to sleep whenever we needed to change his bonds or wash his clothes. Because I'm not sure what this guy was doing to work up such a powerful scent, but after a day of sitting in his own stink, the smell is enough to overpower the sea breeze.'

'We're not animals!'

"Okay, thanks for the status report. Keep up the good work."

-"Pid-gey!" *salute*

"Alright then. How are we looking at building?"

-"Corsola." The coral pokemon shows Jessie to a newly constructed semi-aquatic base.

'Sure, it's little more than a pile of wood and plastic in the vague shape of a building sitting on some stilts, but it's our pile of wood and plastic, damnit!'

'Plus, as I look underwater, I see that it's more beaver dam-like than house-like. The inside is pretty roomy and gives us water types a good way to reach our hidden store of food and weapons. There's an opening up top for flying types to come inside, but for anyone who can't fly or breathe underwater, they'd have to access it through the floating rings we pull around.'

"Defensible yet easily accessible. Good work, team! Our floating armory project is finally complete! Now if those jerks attack us from below, we'll have a bunch of supplies they won't able to steal from us without considerable effort!"

"And, if push comes to shove, we can kick out those struts and move it around. Even up onto dry land if we really need!"

A cheer goes out across the bay as tens of pokemon of all species join together to celebrate.

"You've all worked hard, and while I can't promise that the jobs coming up will get any easier, I can say we'll have a much easier time of it if you all show the kind of effort I've seen this past month. So I'm giving you all the day off! Eat up and rest, you've earned it!"

The Cooler Crew gives one more rousing huzza! As best as pokemon can anyway. That night they all enjoy a little festival! Everyone brings along something to the party. Berries, fish, wild veggies, even a wild hog someone hunted! With so much activity going on, even nurse Chansey takes a moment to dance around the pyre!

"Woah, that gal sure can bust a move! Wish I could be out there... But, parenthood comes with no vacation days."

'I of course have egg watching duty, but it's a job I take with pride! My little one is doing pretty well. The egg even moves around every so often. It must be getting closer to hatching!'

'Some of the other pokemon stop by to check on me throughout the night. I appreciate the company, and I especially appreciate the BBQ! Mhh, whoever cooked that thing was a culinary king! I definitely need to hire them. Or at least give them a name!'

-"Heeey. Hello? Is anyone out there? ...I'm hungry."

"Oh yeah, forgot about him for a minute. Hey, can someone make sure the prisoner doesn't starve?"

-"Pidgey!" *salute*

"Thanks, Dex. Feel free to just toss him some berries or something. No need to give a criminal the good stuff."

The excited little bird rushes off, claws full of berries.

The rest of the party is mostly uneventful. A few drunken shenanigans from a pair of Spinarak who found nurse Joy's secret stash of coffee, the surprisingly hype rap battle between two Wooper, a prankster Mantyke who tried to out munch Loafy in the eating competition... even though it was clearly moving it's own food onto Loafy's plate, the glutton just refused to lose!

'And of course I spent every waking moment with my little eggy. So cute~ Even after Chansey came back from the party, I didn't feel like doing anything other than cuddle my new baby... whatever this thing hatches into. Is this how all new parents feel?'

-"Pidgey pidge!"

"Dexter? What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

-"Pid-gey!"

"HE WHAT?! Lead the way! And somebody bring me my out of water sled, quickly!"

The pair rushed over to the mostly cleared out poke-center. One of which significantly slower, but still pulling themselves along as fast as two slim tentacles would allow. There, in the middle of the floor, was a tied up Jigglypuff, bound and gagged with a mouth full of berries to smother it's cries!

"How did this happen? Come on now, speak up!" Tearing away the gag and ropes, Jessie lifted the puffball up in the air.

*cough* -"Jigg, Jigglypuff!"

"An inside job, of course. There's plenty of Rattata around here these days. Even if one or two extras showed up, nobody would be the wiser. Which means he only called someone over before to make it seem like he was still in place while the party was ongoing, oddly clever for a Rocket punk."

"Okay, let's go tell the others to be on lookout. Dexter, I need you to rally the Hoothoot and Noctowl. Form a search party!"

-"Pidgey!" *salute*

Hefting Jigglypuff into his makeshift sled, the pair hurried as fast as they could in the direction of the party, arriving just as the last of the embers were going out. In the light of the dying fire, Jessie saw something to make his blood run cold.

Chansey, lying in a pool of sea water, surrounded by friends all trying to wake her up. A trail in the sand on the beach leading out into open water. And most importantly, no egg.