Chapter 49: A Cool Shiny Thing

Important characters

Jessie (Male Tentacool/Former Human)

Roma (Female Lapras)

Cyan (Female Primarina)

Mismagius (Female)

Chatty (? Tentacool)

Mr. Mayor and Nurse Joy (Human)

-"And so, without further ado, I would like to begin our annual ceremony. The award of Cherrygrove Cheer medal has always gone to those who, no matter what their place of origin, have done right by us and our fair community. It is a means of recognizing and welcoming those who deserve a little something extra for all the hard work they have done! And a hearty thanks from us all who benefit from their efforts!"

The mayor starts spinning his long story which the sleepy eyed citizens all half pay attention to. Save for Nurse Joy, for some reason, who with a smile on her face listens to the whole speech without so much as a yawn.

Jessie shambles around in his tank on stage nervously. No idea why they decided to bring him up there. He wasn't notified of anything save for the fact that they'd like him to be present when the award was given out. And that was all discussed on the very crowded boat ride over, (he still ached from a certain somebody's anchor poking into his side) so he didn't quite get all the important details.

Chatty and his posh new pal were off in their own little world, continuing a discussion that began hours earlier. Perhaps it started when the two were fused. Were they able to communicate through that haze of sea plants and poison somehow? Who knows?

Roma and the girls were doing singing lessons by the beach. Seeing those three getting along did make Jessie's heart feel at ease, much as he'd like to be there himself. Can't hold a tune unfortunately. But he did his job as a parent helping his little girl find some reliable friends to hang out with. Even Mismagius turned out to be a pretty good person under all that attitude! Yeah, they'd be just fine...

-"-policy and our future!"

"Huh? Zoned out for a minute there, you about done?"

-"Haha! Well said, my boy! Well said indeed!"

For some reason, this earns a round of applause. Looking out over the crowd, excited now that the medal is being brought out, Jessie can't help but turn his eyes to someone familiar out there in the crowd.

"I don't believe it... Why are those two here of all places?"

-"I present our Cherrygrove Cheer medal to our mutual friend, Jessie! A pokemon, to be sure, but a person who like us-"

"Sorry guy, I have to step out a minute." Jessie Flung the medal out into the crowd! It lands in the hands of an old man who quickly turns from shocked to excited.

-"I-I'm being recognized? Oh my, I never thought... You know I helped all those trainers for it's own sake, I don't really need a reward."

-"Nonsense!" A burly sailor claps the old man on the back. -"You'd give the shirt off your back if a stranger asked for it! And that's after you gave away your own shoes!"

-"How clever having our town hero hand out the medal this year. So exciting!"

-"SPEECH!"

As the crowd burbles with excited congratulations, Mr. Mayor stands dumbfounded. But seeing as his co-host is wheeling himself off stage, the mayor decides to straighten out his bow tie and address the masses.

-"Well, the show must go on... Haha! Well done, and good aim my friend! I believe with all my heart that there is none more deserving of this year's award than he, a man who's generosity hasn't gone unnoticed even by the pokemon living in and around our town! Let's have a round of applause!"

A man and a woman sit at the back of the crowd. Only giving the occasional glance at the ongoing ceremony, they make small talk in their own small bubble.

-"I hardly think that a Tentacool was the most appropriate pokemon to give out a commendation. Aren't they a bit violent?"

-"I'm more worried about the slime. Ugh. I wouldn't touch a million dollars if a Tentacool handed it to me."

'Yep, same as always.' Jessie stared quietly at a distance. Even with a pokemon staring at them from within a huge water tank on wheels, the two couldn't be bothered to pay attention. A Trait they held onto from his childhood no doubt.

'You two always were more concerned with appearances than anything of substance. That's why you wanted me to study and become a monk for Bellsprout tower, isn't it? All those years spent in silent prayer and study, then you couldn't even be bothered to drive me to my master's funeral. Just pulled me out of training when the headline got made. You got what you needed out of it, no need to keep sending me to my lessons...'

-"Honestly, if the pokemart wasn't asking for us specifically to come down here to oversee the rebuilding, I wouldn't have came. This shabby town probably looks better without all the clutter about. That Tentacruel did this place a service getting rid of so many buildings."

-"True, true. Another reason why I question if a Tentacool is right to have at a celebration like this."

-"These yokels are an odd bunch. I'll never for the life of me understand it."

-"Perhaps we could at least get that Tentacool to agree to a brand deal for us while we're here? Surely if we come at it from a guilt perspective, they would have no choice but to do what we ask? It was a member of it's own species that did all this damage after all."

-"Oh, that's smart! We could debut our newest product!"

-"Ugh, not that. I don't want our goods to be associated with something disgusting like that. Just market something like seafood or, what is it the locals like? Magikarp meat? Seaking horns?"

'Yeah, no. Not even close... *sigh* I wonder if it's even worth reporting that little comment to the rangers whenever they decide to contact me again. You'll just bully your way out of anything bad happening to you and push it onto others. Like always.' Jessie faintly remembers spending the night in jail that one time. He was told his parents what happened and about the woman who framed him. They of course immediately went into PR mode when they heard. Didn't even spend a second thought to getting him out of there or clearing his good name. It was all about "their" own image.

'So much for my one phone call. I should've called-'

-"Lapras shells! That was what it was! Sure, they're protected, but it's not illegal to sell shells that break off 'naturally', isn't it?"

-"Pokemon battles happen all the time in nature!"

'! OKAY, THAT TEARS IT!' But before he can go off and dispense some much needed justice however, his tank gives a lurch. A white fin crests over the side, pulling up a "mostly" healed Cyan, still sporting some green medicine splotches over her burn marks.

-"Prima pri!"

"Oh! Hey Cyan, what's up? I was just about to-"

-"Lap lap laaaap!" Little Roma begins excitedly waving him over to join their party.

-"Hah! You are some kind of special, you know that? Tyke was so excited to sing her new song for you! Ain't that nice?" Mismagius hums in response to the little lapras' energetic display.

"Aw, really? I'd love that... Tell you what, we didn't get to finish our camping trip before. Why don't we spend the night right here, make a little bonfire, sing a few camp songs. I could even tell you about my previous life up here on the surface!"

-"Lapras!"

-"Primarina!"

-"Mismagius! Er, I mean, yeah! Give us a story, old man."

'Heh, who needs those two? I'll be a better parent than you ever were.'

Making a mental note to tell Riley the pokemon ranger everything he knew about that corrupt pair when he came back to town, Jessie spends the night with his daughter and her new friends, vowing to give his little girl a better life than he could have hoped for as a human.