Chapter 12: Cool discoveries

Jessie wakes up floating peacefully, it was a good sleep. The ocean's waves had a calming effect on the jellyfish as he drifted downwards with the dusk and back up at sunrise, almost by instinct.

Also by instinct, they very nearly fall for another hook.

"No no! Not this time! Remember last time. Remember last time..." They take the bait in one tentacle and allow the fisherman to pull them upwards, keeping control, and more importantly, keeping that hook well away from their mouth.

-"I'll be, a Tentacool! Hrm, little scrawny, but a nice color on the lil bugger. Good job, son!" The fisherman, or rather his small son standing nearby, reels in his first ever catch with pride. Or he would have, had Jessie not taken the bait off the hook first.

-"Aw, don't be bothered none. Happens to the best of us. Jelly here was just a touch too smart this time, but you'll get em next time!"

"Doubt it." *ploop*

Diving back underwater and enjoying their "well earned" meal, he wonders about what to do with his day. It had been a few days since everyone's great escape from the ruins lake. They had since caught sight of that one crab... motherfucker. But thankfully it didn't seem interested in a rematch. In fact, it seemed kind of skittish, sticking close to it's trainer when it sighted Tentacool.

The crew had also been working on getting their new friends to accept Jessie as part of the school, with mixed results. Mostly they were fine, as long as the jellyfish kept a distance between them and the new members. Oddly, it was the Seaking he spoke with before that was the most willing to approach. They traded words now and then, a bit of info in exchange for some of the humans' bait fresh from the line. It always tasted better than caught fish somehow~

Oh yeah, that kid came back, almost like clockwork. He's still a bit dumb, not understanding a word of poke-speak, but at least he had spirit. Despite themselves, he wound up enjoying those daily visits.

'My only human contact... Well, it's probably close to time. Better not keep him waiting. Loafy (the Remoraid with the, erm, diet problem) might try and land on that hook if I take too long!'

"Beam me up, kid." Tugging on the hook twice, the line went taught and hauled Tentacool up to the surface.

-"Tenty!"

"Didn't agree to that name."

-"Look what I brought! It's an old manual from before they had pokedexes! My mom let me borrow it so I could learn more about you!"

"Manual huh? Alright, so what does that book say about me?" Swimming closer, he attempts to haul himself up a little higher to see the page.

-"Careful, it's a loan. But this is pretty cool, getting to read with a pokemon."

"Nice pun. So about that book?"

-"Let's see... Tentacool are a Water type pokemon. And they have a- *gasp* a secondary Poison typing! I didn't know that!"

"...You don't say."

-"You're so cool, Tenty! Okay okay, let's see what else we can find. Um, it says here you have a Poison Sting attack."

"Yep."

-"You might have the Clear Body ability, if that shinyness means anything."

"Yes, that's also very true."

-"You are a... Girl Tentacool!"

"Mh, check the book again."

-"Or are you just small? It's hard to tell just by looking... Say, can I-"

*dive* "Yeah no bye."

Loafy snickers nearby as Jessie once more retreats to the comfort of his party.

"Hey all, how's- Wait, where did Spring get off to?"

-"Karp, Magikarp."

"Really? I mean, I guess I should congratulate them! Er, if I find their new trainer, that is. You know, they deserve it after the last one. Really, good for them!"

-"Karp!"

"And what of the rest of you all? Any plans?"

The lovey dovey pair (the two Goldeen from before) swim over.

"Oh right, it's about that time huh? So you two are headed back North for a bit to have an egg?"

-"Gol Gol!"

"Well I'm very happy for you both. It won't quite be the same without you here, but no worries. We'll manage just fine. And hey, you can introduce me to Jr. later!"

Everyone says their goodbyes to the happy couple, giving small gifts of berries, fish, or whatever interesting looking shiny rocks they could find. The pair shed no shortage of tears as they leave our little group for now. 'I'm really gonna miss those two...'

As things were wrapping up and everyone got ready to bed down, Seaking streams over looking all kinds of haggard.

-"Seaking! Seaking! Sea- King!"

"Slow down, big guy! We can barely understand you when you're out of breath like that! Now, take a deep gulp and tell us,"

"What do you mean by The Warband?"