Day 39 since returning to the Orange Archipelago. Heavy rain.
Reiji woke to the sound of rain hammering against the windows. The storm had been coming and going for three straight days now, and this morning it had returned in full force, drowning the entire mountainside beneath sheets of water.
He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stared outside with a growing suspicion.
The Orange Archipelago was warm enough that rain rarely lingered this long. A shower lasting half a day was nothing unusual, but three days of thunderstorms around Mikan Island was starting to look less like weather and more like someone had been tampering with it.
Reiji could think of one very obvious suspect.
"Don't tell me Zapdos has been doing this..."
Unfortunately, the bird itself was nowhere around to question. Reiji sighed, got dressed, and headed downstairs. Rain or not, he had plans today, which meant he needed to find Zapdos before leaving.
He prepared breakfast first. Once the Pokémon had gathered around and eaten, Reiji brushed the crumbs from his hands and looked toward Gengar.
"Go find Zapdos for me. If I'm right, it's probably somewhere inside those storm clouds."
Gengar flashed him a mischievous grin before floating upward and disappearing into the gray sky.
It did not take long.
Lightning suddenly split the clouds, followed by a crack of thunder strong enough to shake the windows. A golden shape emerged from the darkness overhead, electricity snapping across its feathers as Zapdos descended from the storm.
It landed on one of the citrus trees outside the cabin, bending the rain-soaked branches beneath its weight. Tiny arcs of electricity jumped from its feathers into the wet leaves, immediately convincing the nearby Pokémon to give the tree plenty of room.
Zapdos, meanwhile, calmly started grooming itself as though nothing unusual had happened.
Reiji walked outside beneath the eaves and folded his arms.
"Zapdos. Be honest with me. Have you been causing all this rain?"
Zapdos looked at him for a moment, then gave a perfectly unashamed nod.
Reiji stared.
He had expected at least some resistance. After dealing with Gyarados, he had assumed raising a Legendary Pokémon would involve an equally impressive amount of attitude, especially after Zapdos had spent several days roaming wherever it pleased.
Instead, the bird had returned from its little adventure and admitted everything immediately.
Then Reiji glanced at the rest of the team and understood why.
Electivire was nearby flexing its fists, electricity crackling between them. Gengar floated behind Reiji wearing its usual grin, while Poliwrath sat under the roof meditating and barely bothered to open one eye at Zapdos.
Between those three and the fact that Reiji had hatched Zapdos himself, perhaps the young Legendary had already figured out exactly how far it could push things around here.
"I'm going out today," Reiji said, taking out its Poké Ball. "If you want to come, get in."
Zapdos glanced at the ball, shook the rain from its feathers, and allowed the red beam to recall it without complaint.
Reiji selected the rest of the Pokémon he wanted for the trip. Blastoise came first, followed by Dragonair, Slowking, and Umbreon. The Pokémon tied to his cover identities were coming as well; unlike most of his tournament team, they had escaped the Orange League without injuries and were still ready for serious fighting.
He deliberately kept the traveling group small. Blastoise gave him another strong Water type, Slowking covered transportation and psychic utility, while Dragonair and Umbreon were both Pokémon he preferred keeping close for their own reasons. Zapdos was simply too unpredictable to leave wandering around when Reiji was about to disappear for a day or two.
The injured Pokémon would remain at the lakeside cabin, with Poliwrath volunteering to keep everyone in line. Reiji had already prepared several days of food, and there were additional supplies stored inside the cabin if he took longer than expected.
Training was still restricted while so many of them recovered, so there should not be much trouble.
Once everything was settled, Reiji changed into his black stab-resistant jacket and pulled up the hood. The material had survived months of abuse without noticeably deteriorating, and even after wearing it for so long, it still felt almost as good as when he had first bought it.
He stepped outside and stopped.
Sunlight was breaking through the clouds.
The storm was already falling apart.
Reiji looked down at Zapdos's Poké Ball, then back at the rapidly clearing sky.
"So it really was you."
At least the bird had not lied.
Unfortunately, Reiji did not actually want the rain to stop yet. If the weather cleared, there was a very real chance Cissy would decide to come visit, and explaining why the cabin was empty would create questions he would rather avoid.
He turned toward Poliwrath.
"Change of plan. You guys keep it raining while I'm gone. Whenever it starts clearing up, use Rain Dance again."
Poliwrath immediately smacked Gyarados on the tail and pointed toward the sky.
Gyarados understood.
Between the two Water types, dark clouds began gathering again almost as quickly as they had dispersed. Within minutes, heavy drops were once more splashing against the lake and roof.
Reiji nodded in satisfaction.
"That'll do."
He released Slowking and rested a hand on its shoulder.
"Take me to the northern coast. Teleport."
A flash of psychic light swallowed them, and the lakeside cabin vanished from view.
...
Reiji and Slowking appeared on the northern shore of Mikan Island.
The rain was lighter here, but the sky remained dark. Zapdos had spent three days building up that weather system, and even after recalling it, the clouds were not going to disappear immediately.
Reiji had deliberately chosen Slowking instead of bringing a Flying type. Teleport made getting around convenient, but he had no intention of using it for the entire trip.
He recalled Slowking and released Blastoise and Umbreon.
Blastoise looked out over the sea. The water was relatively calm despite the ugly sky, with only a gentle swell rolling toward shore.
"Mandarin Island North," Reiji said, pointing northeast. "We're taking the scenic route."
Blastoise walked into the water until it could float comfortably, then flattened itself enough to leave the broad upper portion of its shell above the surface.
Reiji climbed aboard with Umbreon and settled cross-legged on the shell.
Then he pulled an old friend from his bag.
His fishing rod.
He had wanted to do this ever since returning from the tournament.
Reiji attached an artificial lure and cast it far behind them. Live bait would have been useless while Blastoise was moving, but a lure being dragged through the current would look exactly like a small fish trying to swim away.
Perfect for anything predatory enough to chase it.
"No rush," Reiji told Blastoise as it began swimming northeast. "Take it easy. If you see land before I do, let me know."
Blastoise carried him steadily away from Mikan Island while Umbreon curled up across his legs and enjoyed the ride.
Not long after they left the coast, Reiji happened to glance back.
Mikan Island was still buried beneath a blanket of black clouds, rain falling in a gray curtain over the mountains. Out here, however, the sky had opened completely. Bright sunlight stretched across the blue sea, making the island behind them look as though it belonged to another climate entirely.
Reiji shook his head.
Zapdos had really gone overboard.
For the next stretch of the trip, there was nothing to do but enjoy himself. Blastoise moved at an easy pace, the waves rolled gently beneath them, and the fishing line trailed through the water behind.
Umbreon dozed in the sun while Reiji waited.
Eventually, the reel screamed.
The line snapped tight so suddenly that the rod almost jerked from his hands. Reiji caught it with both hands, planted himself more firmly on Blastoise's shell, and leaned against the pull.
Whatever had taken the lure was stronger than he expected.
Blastoise immediately slowed.
"Don't stop! Keep moving!"
Reiji was not the starving boy from the deserted island anymore. He had better equipment, more experience, and considerably more strength than when fishing had been a matter of survival.
He worked the rod steadily until the resistance broke the surface.
A Carvanha burst from the water.
Its compact body was covered in red, blue, and yellow markings, with sharp fins and an even sharper mouth. The moment it cleared the water, it spat out the artificial lure and glared at Reiji as though being tricked by fishing tackle were a personal insult.
Reiji looked back at it.
"Well, you're charming."
He threw a Poké Ball.
"Swampert, you're up!"
Swampert landed in the water beside Blastoise and gave the tiny Carvanha a deeply unimpressed look.
"Hydro Pump."
Swampert turned toward Reiji.
For a second, it seemed almost offended that it had been summoned for this.
"Just do it."
Swampert fired.
The column of water hit Carvanha head-on and launched it across the surface before it crashed back into the sea several meters away.
Swampert glanced over its shoulder at Reiji with an expression that needed no translation.
You called me out for that?
Reiji laughed awkwardly. "Everyone else stayed home. You were available."
Swampert was still glaring at him when its expression suddenly changed.
It turned back toward the open sea.
Reiji followed its gaze.
Dark fins were cutting through the water.
Not one or two.
Dozens.
They were approaching fast.
Swampert went rigid as it recognized them. Fighting one Sharpedo was hardly a problem, but taking on an entire school in open water was a completely different proposition.
Reiji came to the same conclusion immediately.
"Oh, come on. Sharpedo brought the whole family? That's playing dirty!"
He recalled Swampert at once.
Slowking came out next.
"Get me off the water!"
Slowking's eyes lit blue, and psychic power lifted Reiji and Umbreon from Blastoise's shell. Reiji recalled Blastoise the moment it was clear, leaving the three of them suspended above the sea while the approaching fins multiplied below.
The Sharpedo were almost on top of them.
"Teleport. Now!"
Slowking needed no encouragement.
A burst of psychic light surrounded them just as the first attacks shot upward. Water streams tore through the place Reiji had occupied a heartbeat earlier, followed immediately by several Sharpedo launching themselves from the sea with jaws wide enough to close around a person.
Their teeth snapped on empty air.
Reiji, Umbreon, and Slowking were already gone.
The Sharpedo crashed back into the water and circled in confusion, red eyes searching for the human who had somehow vanished in front of them.
The school had come charging over because Carvanha had apparently found prey.
Now there was no prey.
Several Sharpedo slowly turned toward the same Carvanha.
It suddenly looked much less angry about being blasted by Swampert.
One of the larger Sharpedo opened its mouth and fired a Water Gun directly into its face, sending the smaller Pokémon tumbling through the water.
Carvanha recovered and wisely kept its mouth shut.
The message was clear enough.
Next time it called the entire school over for a meal, there had better actually be something to eat.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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