Chapter 44: Lots of Cool Chatting

Important characters in this chapter:

The ever adorable Roma (Female Lapras)

The new girl in town Cyan (Female Primarina)

Everyone's favorite 10 hour podcast Chatty (? Tentacool)

Side characters Mr. Mayor and Nurse Joy (Human)

And Me! I've been here the whole time! Jessie Cooledge (Male Ex-Human Tentacool)

*back at town*

-"This is terrible! A travesty! An inconvenience even! The award ceremony is scheduled to happen TONIGHT! And I can only push it back so far before we have another, erm, nasty event like last time."

-"Mr. Mayor-"

-"No no, I shan't go into detail! No matter how hard pressed I absolutely REFUSE to relieve any of last year's troubles! Let us leave it as a particularly nasty memory! Buried in the past! Where. It. Belongs!"

-"Yes, okay. But that's not what I'm saying."

-"Oh Nurse Joy, how have we fallen so far as to chase away our own savior? Is there no possible means to recover his lost faith in our little community? No enticement to draw his gaze?"

-"Well if you'll just let me finish!"

-"Oh of course, good Nurse Joy, of course. I do tend to ramble. Please! Do go on, I insist, do go on!"

-"Huff. Well as I was saying, I saw his daughter earlier today-"

-"Ah yes, such a beautiful Lapras! I've gotten no end of praise for attracting such a darling pokemon to our town's waters!"

-"...Anyway. She came to collect the Primarina that has been staying at my pokecenter."

-"The Primarina! Of course! If we use such a pair of beauties as those two, surely any pokemon would be enticed to return!"

-"They're both gone as well."

-"AUGH! And like that, my hopes, my dreams, dashed upon the rocks like a ship in the storm! Why do you wound me so, Nurse Joy?"

-"Ugh, you're insufferable... As. I. Was. Saying. I believe they have both gone off to join Jessie in whatever adventure he's on right now."

-"Haha! So that Tentacool is a man after all! Journeying about with two pretty women, ah to be young again! Have I told you of my own adventures with my wife, Nurse Joy? Oh the yarn of love spun wildly in those days! A turgid weave of fate flowing like a waterfall, crashing down with a mighty ROAR of romantic feelings!"

-"I... honestly don't want to hear about that. But if we ask the local pokemon where those three had went together, we will surely find Jessie."

-"Why Nurse Joy, you are a brilliant mind! Brilliant I say! Quickly now, no time to gad about town throwing vocal gold at one another. Fetch me the most talkative pokemon of the lot and I, your great and charismatic mayor, will inspire them to shower us with TRUTH!"

'After a long and... very costly shopping trip, the girls seem to have had a wonderful time! We got our supplies packed away and they even have some matching scarves to boot! Aw, my little Roma looks so happy. This was worth the berries, really.'

"Okay! So it looks like we have everything we need for the camping trip, who's ready to go?"

-"Lapras prrras!"

-"Prima prima prima, rina!"

-"Lap lap~"

-"Primarina!"

"Uh, girls? ...Ah, why not let them have their fun? It's not often I see Roma having such a good time." Leaving the two to enjoy their chat, Jessie asks around The Reef for any interesting locales they might visit.

The sea is, as expected, a vast place full of mystery and wonder. For every pokemon residing in these waters is an equally magical scene of life finding it's way into every crevice and crack. But also danger enough to match any majesty one might find along the way. But finally, it seems like he's caught onto a suitable place to let his daughter explore safely.

"Hrm... Oh! Now that sounds like an interesting place! Thanks much, fella!" They toss a berry to the helpful Corsola and swim back to the others, still very entrenched in their gossip.

"Hey guys, wanna come over here for a bit?"

"...Ahem."

-"L-Lapras!"

"Hah! No worries, no worries. I'm glad you're having fun on our trip. But get a load of this, this guy tells me there's an old kelp forest over that way. I know we can't go walking around in a tree forest, so this sounds like the next best thing!"

-"Primari?"

"Yep! The local kids use that place to play hide and seek since there's no predators around. And the fishing boats don't go that way because of how high the seaweed grows, so there's no trainers around either! Sounds like a fine place to spend the evening."

-"Lap! Lapras-ras?"

-"Prima."

"Sounds like it's settled then! This-a-way!"

*around midday*

-"Tenta cool cool cool, Tentacool. Tentacool! Tenta tenta cool. A cool tent! Tentacool cool ten ten ta~ Tentacoooool! Tent. Tentacool cool cool Tenta-ta-ta-ta-taaaaa-"

-"Tentacool!"

-"...Nurse Joy?"

-"Yes, Mr. Mayor?"

-"Is it just me or has this little jellyfish been talking to us for a full hour without taking a breath?"

-"That seems to be the case, Mr. Mayor."

-"...Hoooow?"

-"Well, they don't have lungs. In fact, the movements they're doing to make those sounds may be bringing in fresh water into their body to keep them alive. Sort of a... perpetual chatting device of pokemon."

-"Nature is truly a wonder, Nurse Joy."

-"Indeed..."

-"-tacool. Tentacool?"

-"Oh! Er, yes. My good Tentacool, I was asking about the whereabouts of our mutual friend, Jessie! As well as his two lady friends who may have gone with him to, as yet unknown to us, locations. Would you perchance be willing to guide us or perhaps inquire about his movements with one of your acquaintances?"

-"Tenta! Ta coooool!"

A small bird pokemon lands on top of the chatty Tentacool's head.

-"Spearow?"

-"Tentacool! Ta ta tenta-" The bird holds up a wing to silence the blubbering blob before he can go off on another tangent.

-"Spearow." A start contrast to the past hour, the bird hops about and begins pecking out a simple message.

-"Ah, would you look at that? It's drawing us a map in the sand, Nurse Joy! Our first clue! Why thank you, my dear friend! You may have just saved this awards ceremony yet! How could I ever repay you, you marvelous... er, what did you say your name was again?"

-"Tentacool! Cool cool cool, tenta tenta tenta, ta-cool. Tentacool tenta ten ten acool. Cooool Tentacool, Ten-"

Can our heroes set out on their journey before the sun sets? Will Jessie get to spend time with his daughter? Will Chatty ever stop talking? Find out next time, as the journey continues!
To Be Continued