PBK 66 Dark Water (Patreon)

Outskirts of Cerulean City

Arata's POV

I swept loose hair from my face. The wind was breezy, as we were right next to the ocean. To my left, farther in the distance, the rocky slopes that eventually became Mount Moon rose against the sky. To my right, a stretch of sandy beach met the vast ocean, its waters glinting in the warm mid-morning sunlight.

It felt good to be back near the ocean. Growing up in Saltwind had left its mark on me: the sea air, the sound of the waves, and everything that came with it—the good and the bad.After two months of cities, forests, and caves, this felt like a small return to something familiar.

The girls and I had split up so I could run a private training session. Livia had found us a good spot—open enough for the bigger members of the team, with solid ground and enough space that we wouldn't accidentally destroy the local flora and fauna.

There was a distinct lack of wild Pokémon, though...

I turned to check on everyone.

Orin was a short distance away, his form lowered stably to the ground as he fired off controlled, low-powered Hyper Beams. They were much smaller and less destructive; it was exactly what I'd asked of him: build the power base without burning himself out. The fact that he could already modulate a move as destructive as Hyper Beam this well was something else.

Livia sat nearby on Rest duty. There wasn't much more physical training that would help her at this point. She was close to evolving, and I was looking forward to it. Who wouldn't want to fly? Though I'd have to get the proper aerial license once she did.

I smiled at my Pidgeotto as she practiced the timing of her Rest, then turned my attention to the youngest of the group.

Titania was working on ground control: Earthquake, Stone Edge, Rock Slide. She would need it. With her evolution into Pupitar approaching, the free mobility she currently enjoyed would disappear entirely.

It was better to start training her on moves and techniques that didn't rely on constant movement while she still had the chance.

A low growl pulled my attention behind me.

I smiled. "You good, buddy?"

Caesar huffed and pushed himself up to his full height from where he'd been resting. His tail thumped once against the ground. Then he closed his eyes and began to pulse with draconic energy.

I opened my Pokédex and continued taking notes. Dragon-type energy was strange, even among the other types. Most research focused on its destructive nature—which made sense, considering how many Dragon-types sat near the top of the food chain. But the more I tried to understand them, the more I became convinced there was another side to it: the ability to dominate.

A lot of them could fly, or at least control the air around them, even when their physical wings looked almost comically inadequate for the speeds some dragons reached. I refused to believe a Dragonite went from standing still to cutting through the sky on those little nubs alone. Something else was at work.

So I was having Caesar try something that, frankly, sounded a little ridiculous when said out loud.

I wanted him to dominate the air around him and try to use it for movement. He might not be able to fly, but if he could stay course-correct while jumping, or skip on water, it would be huge for the upcoming gym.

And somehow, the absolute specimen that he was had started to get the hang of it.

I watched as faint distortions, like heat waves, pushed outward from his body. The air around him visibly shifted, rippling away in uneven pulses. Then, after about a minute, Caesar's legs gave out. He dropped to one knee, breathing hard, the glow of draconic energy fading from his scales.

It seemed to be incredibly taxing. It might perhaps be intrinsic for some Dragon types to do what Caesar was doing, but not for the Haxorus line. But that wasn't going to stop us; after all, if someone could help a Pokémon break through a species limit, it would be me.

Still, it was a little weird to see Caesar out of breath like this, trying to attempt something with his native type energy. After all, he was slowly getting used to moves like Giga Impact.

I closed the Pokédex and let out a quiet breath.

We still had a week and a half; something could be worked out. I walked up to my Dragon-type.

"Alright, buddy. You know what to do. Let's get a proper session in."

Caesar gave a low rumble of understanding and sat down heavily, tail curling around his side. I did the same across from him, first making sure our gear was still nearby and that the rest of the team was accounted for. Then I closed my eyes and reached out with my power.

Even now, I wasn't entirely sure how to approach this. I was trying to help him lean harder into his type energy, which Caesar's line wasn't typically capable of using.

Still, let's try it...

Sometime later

I opened my eyes to Titania nipping sharply at my side.

The little Larvitar looked up at me with clear annoyance. The sun had already begun to sink toward the horizon, painting the sky in a soft orange hue. I hadn't fed the team yet.

"Haha... sorry, girl. Caesar and I got carried away," Caesar gave a huff at my comment but nodded all the same to the team. You were also next to us now but were more patient than my little Godzilla in the making.

I pushed myself up, dusted off my cargo pants, and went to my bag. One by one, I pulled out the custom bowls and the specialized feed the lab provided for each of them. As I set everything down and portioned it out, I found myself quietly thanking the lab budget again. Without it, feeding a team like mine properly would have been nearly impossible.

Once they were all eating, I pulled out a pre-made sandwich and a drink carton for myself and settled on the ground beside them.

I should figure out a way to make my own money, I thought as I took a bite. I can't keep relying on the lab forever.

The sky in front of us had turned a brilliant, burning orange. I let out a quiet breath, just watching it for a moment.

"...Alright, fellas. Let's set up camp."

Before I could move, my Nav buzzed with a new message.

Rin:Hey. How are you?I stared at it for a second before typing back.

Arata:I'm good.Her reply came almost immediately.

Rin: Are you near Cerulean?

Arata: Yeah. Going for my second badge.

Rin: That's great! I'll be coming there next week. We could meet? Mira's coming too. It would be just like old times.

I felt a small smile tug at my mouth. I had missed my friends.

Arata: Sure. I'll confirm if I'm free.

I slipped the Nav back into my pocket, still smiling—only for it to ring again almost immediately. I pulled it back out with a raised eyebrow.

Popular today, huh?

Kailey's name flashed on the screen. My expression sobered. She didn't usually call unless it was important.

I answered. "What's up, Kailey?"

"Arata. I heard from the Professor you're near Cerulean."

"...Yeah."

"I'm sorry to ask this of you, but can you go retrieve the sensor data from the coastal station we set up and send it to me?"

I glanced at the darkening sky. "You need it today?"

There was a short pause.

"...I'm sorry. There's been an uptick in Sharpedo attacks. Thirty-four people were killed in the past week."

"...Damn."

"So... can you?"

"Of course. I'll have to try and charter a boat, but I'll do my best."

"Thank you so much. I'll be in touch."

"Sure."

I ended the call and looked at my team. All of them were watching me attentively.

"Alright, team. We've got a mission. Pack up—we're moving out."

After receiving their affirmations, I quickly broke down what little we'd set up and returned everyone except Livia. She took position above me as a lookout while I started power-walking back toward the city.

It took me nearly three hours to reach a smaller local pier on the outskirts of Cerulean. A handful of fishing boats bobbed gently against the wooden docks, their lights reflecting off the dark water. I jogged toward one of the larger vessels.

"Hey there!" I called out. "I need some help."

The captain looked up with a permanent sort of frown. "How can I help you, lad?"

"I'm Arata Ishida, a lab trainer under Professor Oak." I pulled out my Nav and brought up the map, showing him the cluster of rocky islets a ways offshore. "I need to get out here. There's a sensor station we left behind, and I need the data today."

He studied the screen for a moment. "What's it for?"

"It's related to the recent Sharpedo attacks."

The old man was quiet for a second, then gave a short nod. "Alright. Get in."

"Thank you. How much to charter?"

"Nonsense, lad. I can't charge you for something like this. Now get on."

I climbed aboard without another word. The engine roared to life, and we pulled away from the pier at full speed. It didn't take more than an hour to reach the small cluster of jagged rocks rising out of the now dark waters.

I asked the captain to wait and released Livia. She gave me a sharp, questioning look as she materialized, but when I held out my crossed arms over my head, she understood. She took hold of my arms, and with precise control over the wind, she lifted me carefully and carried me across the short distance to the largest islet.

Everything was pitch black except for the boat's headlight sweeping across the waves. Once we landed, Livia stayed out while I pulled a flashlight from my bag and began the sharp, uneven climb toward the equipment we'd left behind weeks ago.

The sensor unit was still intact. I downloaded the data quickly.

Finally. Time to get back.

Just then, my Nav let out a sharp Ranger alert tone.

I pulled it out, frowning—and felt my stomach drop.

General Alert: A luxury vessel under attack by feral Sharpedo. Location near your current position.

Location: XXXX

A second later, the boat below started honking urgently as it received the same information via its standard safety systems.

So much for a training session...