Chapter 74: For which the ocean provides
The ocean is the birthplace of life, for which both man and monster relies on it. Both have an equal share to the vast seas of resources, however, the rise of man tipped this fragile balance, as such, the monsters were victims of man's greed as the ocean became its next conquest.
Amongst the rugged waves and thunderous storms, there was a small Horsea, swimming through the cruel seas as it seeks new shelter after its former habitat was destroyed. It swam and swam until it reached a shoreline, it was far enough from the SITE but close enough with its shoal.
As it continued to plunge towards the light seas, fire balls emerged from the heaven's both, slowing down as the fluids created frictional force upon the orbs of ashes. Horsea dodged the fireball and materialized from the ocean, revealing itself to the open skies, where the ocean meets the land above it. Panting for breath, as his journey nearly cost him his life but knowing that if he didn't escape, he would be dead by now for his former home was ravaged by man's greed, the whirl islands.
Upon surfacing, he heard a meticulous voice of two people, one feminine, one masculine. It was evident that both voices were from teenagers. One of the voices seems tired yet its flames of courage are undying, while the other is a sleeker, relaxed, tonal but was commanding - assuming that the latter was the oldest among the two.
"Tepig, you're doing great, use ember once more."
A circular flame bore out of the Tepig's nose, as it reached the ideal form, it threw the fire towards a parallel Pokemon, a Smeargle. Smeargle recreated the said ember and unlike Tepig's it created 5 times of that, forming a ring around it; for when the ember dares to land, another one collides it and the rest will be thrown towards Tepig.
The fire pig Pokemon charges, it combusts another flame from its nose, and as it continues to do so, the fire stretches and covers the Pokemon, boosting its speed at an increasing rate.
"Flame charge? That early? I'm assuming you've been teaching her a lot other than ember?" The brunette assumed the situation but seeing a smug printed on the boy's face, she could see foul play.
"Unless you taught her through TMs?" Her skepticism emerged from her thoughts and swindled the boy.
Yoake sighed. Feeling that lying is redundant since they are battling and creating distrust between him and her would just make their situation more problematic than it should be. He has to reveal his blasphemous truth.
"Fine, I did." He conceded, "But she will learn it eventually, so what's the big problem?"
"You're impatient, that's the problem." Lyra crossed her arms with dissatisfaction in her uttered words.
How many times does she have to lecture this boy? She knows he's too young to even be a Pokemon champion but it was odd that Kanto would even allow such a thing; her curiosity began to impede her.
'He's just a pawn to a greater game, huh?' she theorized.
"Tepig, attack Smeargle."
"Smeargle, Sketch."
The fire pig Pokemon picked up some momentum and charged while as Smeargle created an exact replica of the attack, both clashed at the middle of the field; both flames trying to engulf one another, it was a tug of war, fire against fire. Smeargle began to push Tepig, the pig Pokemon dug its feet to the ground as it continued to block the attack, she was dragged towards her trainer as she was overpowered by Smeargle. Her flames were extinguished as Smeargle inflamed hers, thus knocking her back for a few meters. Though she's weak compared to Smeargle, there is one thing that made her admirable, it's her sheer determination and will. Her desire for survival was gone as her trainer was evident that even though he was a cold naive brat, he was a gentle man whose heart corroded in the flow of the contemporary world, where fate was bound against him.
Thou his heart is cold towards humans, it's warm towards Pokemon,
Which is odd on how he treated Claudine upon arriving here.
Horsea observed the entire conundrum, understanding the minute details - the flaws and strengths, the wills and sheers, the provocation and action, the battlefield and the battle - concluded that the battle was rhetoric.
However, he felt an attraction towards the boy, like a black hole, it attracts nearby objects, upon being close, it would be grasped in an inescapable loop. Yoake is a black hole, a mysterious all-devouring giant.
After the battle, Yoake sprayed Tepig's feet, slightly healing her in the process. While the trainer was treating his Pokemon, Tepig noticed Horsea. Disturbed by it,she wailed as she alerted her trainer.
"What's the matter?" the concerned trainer asked.
Lyra glanced at the sea beside them, it was calm and collected, like it has always been. She watched the waves clash with the riprap, the flocks of flying Pokemon soaring through the distance, the crisp breeze penetrating her petite body - it was serene. While her eyes played with the beauty of the sea, she felt that something was watching her. She interrupted her view as she saw a small Horsea, hiding in the riprap beside them.
"Oh no." Lyra muttered upon seeing the Horsea.
"What is it?" Yoake was startled by her.
"We might have a problem." Lyra said as she pointed her finger at Horsea.
Yoake doesn't see the problem, in fact, he sees it as a positive thing. He knows what Horseas are capable of and once they reach their final evolutionary form, Kingdra, it'll be an unstoppable beast. His opportunistic side began to tickle his thoughts, itching to grab the Pokeball but seeing Lyra being worried about the Horsea, he controlled himself, for now.
"That is?"
"Horseas naturally habit the Whirl Islands, it was a state protected area. However, a mining company recently bought that island because of how diamond-densed the place is." Lyra explained.
"Don't you have a saying to this? Aren't you the champion?" Yoake's naivety emerged and began to throw these futile questions to Lyra, deep down, he knows the reason.
"As a citizen, sort of. As a champion, no. That is no longer under my jurisdiction." Lyra explained. She emphasized the word jurisdiction, catching Yoake's skepticism towards her, he knows that she has but the only reason he can think of is that she was bribed.
"But as a concerned citizen, we have to go there. The mining company is displacing the Horseas; they will become invasive species to other regions if they spiral out of control." She continued.
"Alright, let's get to the train station then." He sighed as he took out a Pokeball and returned Tepig to her safe dwelling.
"Don't you wanna catch the Horsea? I know you're struggling to catch it." Lyra teased the boy.
"Knowing you, you wouldn't take a second thought to catch one of Johto's best, so what's causing the struggle? Is it a reflection? Or is it because of…. me?" Lyra continued.
"No…" Yoake blushed. Lyra smirked.
"Ahh, entering Puberty. Just don't look at my back while we sleep." She said as she walked past him, leaving him to himself, giving him the time to reciprocate and actually catch the Horsea.
He rolled his eyes, focused his wits, took out a Great Ball and threw it at Horsea. One swoop and he caught it with relevant ease. He skipped and grabbed the Great Ball and followed Lyra afterwards.
They ventured out of the deep forest and re-entered the walls of human society. Roads stretched, cutting the forest in half, they were in the middle of both Cherrygrove City and New Bark Town. Lyra didn't see a reason to rush their training or their adventure as she knows that doing so would deprive all of the lessons she has to instill to the young adamant trainer. Instead of waiting for any public vehicles, they decided to walk and head towards Cherrygrove city, finding the nearest Pokemon Center.
While the two walked, there was a surrogate silence between them, though the two talked a lot, it was only in battle, never outside of it. However, Lyra is aware that the boy doesn't make the first move, sensing that he's way too unconfident to do so nor a subject to even discuss.
"Yoake, how did you and Leaf meet?" Lyra curiously asked him. Though she already knows the answer, she felt like this was the safest one to ask rather than her alternatives.
"My father showed me to her. Then, she became my babysitter afterwards." Yoake oversimplified his explanation.
"I see. She must be an affiliate of his." said Lyra.
While walking, Yoake couldn't help but to remember the thoughts he had last night, eager to know for answers, he finally asked her about it.
"Lyra, what did you mean by, Erika has a thing for boys like me?" Yoake curiously asked.
"Leaf didn't tell you? If I was her, Erika would be the last person I would allow to go near you…" Lyra described.
"She can be freaky." Lyra stated.
"Freaky?" Yoake was perplexed by her statement.
"This might be outlandish for you but, Erika likes boys like you. She has a saying, the younger the better. Of course, she prefers prestigious boys around the ripe age of 10-14. You would be her prize target." Lyra depriving explanation shocked Yoake. Never could he have thought that the nicest person in his group was a pedo.
"WHAT!? You're lying. She must be sent to jail then." Yoake muttered.
"I hoped I was, but nope. Sometimes, she invites her friend, Jasmine - the steel-type specialist in Johto - to… well, their thing." It is evident that Lyra was uncomfortable with their conversation as if she had witnessed one herself.
"Just stay away from her. I'm mad at Leaf for allowing her to go near you. I was surprised that you even managed to befriend her, one small mishap and she might have done something to you. But hey, that's what many boy's dream about." Lyra joked but for Yoake, it was a different tone. He began to be suspicious about his entire relationship with Erika, especially in her provocations.
"You have to give credit to Erika, if you saw her beach body, you might drool for her but that doesn't hide the fact that she's a… pedo."
Yoake halted for a moment and reflected on his Kanto journey, from the moment he was saved by her till the end of it. He was indebted by her and her kindness is too unnatural, did Leaf sell him off to Erika?
Was her advantage promiscuous? Was that night necessary?"
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