Beyond the Adventure - A Pokémon Story

Chapter 5: Across the Sea pt4

                I sputter awake, coughing up a mouthful of mud.  As I do this, I realize that I am still alive, that somehow, I did not end up at the bottom of the ocean.  I struggle to remember what had happened; everything happened so quickly.  My mind races, flashing through the storm, the whirlpool, the creature in the depths.  How I survived, I have not a clue.  I dig my hands into the soft soil of the ground I am laying on and push myself up.  The burn on my back stings from the salty seawater as I strain to push myself onto my hands and knees.  I cough a few times, then vomit up a stream of ocean water.  I cough a few more times, then from above me, I hear an odd, yet somehow familiar, chime.  I slowly lift my gaze, but my eyes refuse to focus.  I wipe the mud and grit out of them and attempt another glance.  In the darkness, I see a shape hovering in front of me, a shape I am familiar with.  A… question mark?

                “It’s you…” I cough, spitting out bits of dirt.  “How…?”

                I roll over onto my back.  The fuzzy shape hovers over me, looking down at me, and chimes again.  I blink a few times and focus again.  The shape comes into view and I see my old friend from the Ruins of Alph, the creature shaped like a question mark.  I smile weakly.

                “Good… to see you… friend,” I gasp.  “Did you… save me?”

                The Pokémon chimes again.  I assume it said “yes” and try to sit up.  “Thank you,” I say.  Suddenly, I remember Darius and his Lapras and sit upright instantly.  “The others!” I shout.  “Where are they?”

                The Pokémon bobs up and down, chiming excitedly, and starts to hover away.  I get to my feet and follow the Pokémon down the shoreline.  Nestled into a crevice in the rock wall is Darius, slumped over a boulder.  A few feet further down the shore is Lapras, laying on her side, not moving.  I rush over to Darius and check for his breathing and his pulse.  He seems to be okay; breathing is normal, and pulse is a bit slow, but still present.  I pull him off the boulder and lay him on the ground.  I gently slap his cheeks a few times and he begins to stir.  He opens his eyes and furrows his brow.  “Who are you?” he asks.

                “Uh oh,” I say to myself.

                Suddenly, Darius sits up straight.  “Lapras!” he shouts.  “Where is she, Crono?!”

                I allow myself a second to feel relief that he did not suffer amnesia, then point to Lapras on the shore.  He rushes over to her, kneels down, and takes her head in his lap.  After a few moments, he lets out a sigh of relief.  “She’s unconscious, but still alive,” he says.  He frantically looks around.  “Where’s my bag?” he asks.

                I look around the boulder he was slumped over and find his bag on the other side.  I run it over to him.  He fiddles around inside it, then pulls out a yellowish crystal, which I recognize as a Revive.  He crushes the crystal in his hand and waves it under Lapras’ nose.  A few moments later, she startles back to life and lets out a loud wail.  Darius soothes her by stroking her long neck.  “It’s okay,” he says.  “I’m here.  Eat up.”

                Lapras laps up the crystal powder out of Darius’ hand, then looks at him and nuzzles his cheek.  Darius closes his eyes and hugs her tightly.  “I’m glad you’re okay,” he says.  “You did well out there.  Rest now.”  He takes her ball out of his bag and pulls her back in.  He replaces the ball, slings the bag over his shoulder, and stands up.  “So, bud,” he says, looking around.  “Where are we?”

                “I’m not sure,” I say, scratching my chin, “but based on where we were sailing, I think it’s safe to assume we’re on one of the Whirl Islands.”