Pokémon BW: Rise of Clarity (book 3 of the HBoD series)

Chapter 1: Stranded

"Thank Arceus I still have my Pokémon," Robert sighed, watching the sunset colors light the ocean on fire before descending into darkness. "Well, I only have two of you, but you're all I need!" He leaned against Snorlax's side, watching the fire crackle as the twigs Chesnaught had gathered from the small forest burned. He glanced at the white haired girl, who was still asleep, lying on the opposite side of the fire.

Robert leaned back his disheveled bed of dusty blonde hair against his Pokémon's softness, trying to remember how he ended up stuck on an island in the middle of the ocean.

...

1 Day Earlier

"Spiky Shield!"

Greninja's water blade shattered against the spiked shield that erupted between him and Chesnaught, wincing as the spikes grazed him. He skidded back along the metal floor, placing a webbed hand on the surface to steady himself.

"Alright then, use Pin Missile!" Robert yelled and Chesnaught roared, multiple green missiles shooting from his back.

"Knock 'em aside with Extrasensory!" Zeno commanded. Greninja's eyes glowed pink as he forced the missiles to crash onto either side of him, missing him. Suddenly Chesnaught was in front of him, a glowing fist crashing down towards him. The Water type's eyes widened as he brought his fist up to block the attack, but was slammed to the ground. A dark cloud erupted around them, obscuring Greninja. 

"Be on your guard," Robert scanned the spreading smoke, knowing with Zeno's Greninja being in his Bond Form, it would take much more than a good punch to take him down. A slight shift in the smoke caught his attention, so he shouted, "Chesnaught, Spiky Shield at 5 o'clock!"

Chesnaught whirled around, throwing up his shield as two large shurikens slammed into them, water particles spraying the air as they were sliced apart. Then multiple Greninjas burst from the dark smoke, each one leaping into the air.

"A ruse!" Robert yelped. "Chesnaught, Pin Missile!" 

The light green missiles punched through three of the Greninjas, but the fourth and real Greninja sliced downwards with his large shuriken, rolling to his feet behind the Grass starter of Kalos. Chesnaught stumbled, falling to one knee.

"You two finished yet?" Alex asked through a mouthful of sandwich as she climbed the stairs onto the battle deck to join Robert and Zeno, Ninetales padding up behind her. She held a plate in her arms packed with more sandwiches. She swallowed. "Zeno win?"

"Not quite," Robert stretched his arms in the air, breathing in the salty breeze from the ocean all around them. "But it'll be good to take a break."

"We can win even with a type disadvantage," Zeno smirked, high-fiving Greninja.

"Don't be too sure of that," Robert folded his arms as he stood proudly next to Chesnaught. "Don't belittle us just because we didn't spend our time in Kalos training. We still have a few tricks up our sleeves, don't we Chesnaught?" He patted his Pokémon's arm, who grinned in agreement.

"Anyway," Alex held out the plate towards them. "If nothing else, this ship has some good food. Terrible expensive, but good."

"I hope you paid with the card I gave you," Robert frowned as he and Zeno grabbed a sandwich each. He made sure to give Ninetales a good rub on the head before biting into his food. "'Cause I have it for a reason."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah, I did." When she thought Robert wasn't listening, she added to Zeno, "Well, I actually did pay for it myself. Just don't tell him that."

Robert turned away at that, smiling as he shook his head. Alex may be short-fused at times and sarcastic, but she was a good friend. Though he would have to make sure she used the card Professor Juniper gave him to use to pay for his way home.