Hard Enough - Chapter 354 - Beach time escapades

Eventually, we had to burst the bubble that had formed around us while Sabrina had been recovering. We started by contacting Lance and informing him that Sabrina had recovered from the incident and that we would remain here for a few more days.

Lance had accepted that but hadn’t attempted to give us any orders or suggestions as his focus was mainly on getting our insight into Fiore Delegate Fjord.

“Antagonistic, you’d say?”

“Very,” I replied. “We’d set up to train with our pokemon and our friends, only for her to seek us out. She threw some insults our way and got huffy when we talked back. There was also an incident once the fight had settled with her and her son arriving atop some Wailord they’d commandeered. I don’t think she’d had those pokemon under her sway before that, and they were all calm with her riding atop them while others bustled around her.” I shook my head. “If she’d ordered it… we might have had to fight another three or four dozen pokemon at least. Well, that is if the Legendary pokemon didn’t pitch in on our side, but Titan spoke up for me and she backed off.”

“Hmmmm, good to know. Fjord has risen to a high rank within the Fiore Government so she’s worth building a profile on.”

That drew a grunt for me as I toyed with another thought before deciding it was worth mentioning. “There was also an issue with her son, Natural.”

“Son?” Lance frowned as he started flicking through some paperwork before lingering on an image of Fjord with Natural at her side. “How old?”

“Around Forrest’s age, eleven or twelve.”

“Can’t be that much of an issue,” Lance replied dismissively. 

I coughed. “He’s a natural empath,” I stated.

Lance clicked his tongue and I could see him processing that. “Shit, and he’s working with a highly religious group and will be learning their ways.” 

“True,” I murmured as I thought about how ‘canon N’ was encountered in the Black/White games where he was the puppet leader for Team Plasma with Ghetsis as an admin, or rather Sage by the name of Zinzolin in the Black/White Two games. 

Having seen Fjord wearing the religious robes, along with looking at what Chancellor Maximoff was wearing I had to wonder if canonically Team Plasma co-opted Fiore’s religion to trick N into being their ‘face’ to have trainers free their pokemon before stealing them.

… No, that didn’t sound right. Shit, I was going to have to look through my notes on Black and White to see how things might end up that way.

N in the games was portrayed as much older as well, which might mean that events with Team Plasma shouldn't have started for a few more years.

N had to reach Unova first, something that had only just become open to the world. The way things were going it seemed like he was about to join a bunch of other Fiorians in storming Orre. Then again perhaps Fjord wouldn’t send him.

“N is a child, right now,” I suggested. “He might be influenced in a lot of ways but with his mother being high up in the Fjord government, I have to wonder. You do need to be aware of him though, if he is in the room.”

Lance nodded thoughtfully. “He might be being used to influence negotiations. And if there is one empath, there is also the risk that there might be others.”

I tilted my head. “Uhmmm, psychics and empaths are pretty rare,” I pointed out. 

Lance shook his head. “No, we’ve been talking with the Fiore experts and they all think that the way that Fiore manages its pokemon is too successful. They use what is known as a stylus to ‘capture’ pokemon and make them agreeable to work with their handlers. Typically, most Fiore residents only have one pokemon to their name, with that being their partner pokemon which is like our versions of a Starter pokemon…” Lance made a face.

“At least that’s our best understanding, we’ve only been able to have experts living in Fiore for a year or so now, so some of the nuances of their culture aren’t yet fully understood.”

Lance sighed. “But the thing that is being bandied around is that their method of ‘capturing pokemon’ using a single pokemon and a stylus makes them more intune to emotional states.”

“Frankly, they have the best ability to read people when they wish to, it makes me wonder a lot more about Fjord. Her being that way seems odd as most Fiorian people that I have spoken with are rather calm and collected, even being accepting of different cultures. For them to suddenly announce war…”

I hummed. “Maybe it’s just a vocal minority that have been able to take control of the narrative? What are they spreading through their national broadcasts on radio and news? Do they have access to other region’s news?”

Lance stiffened. “They do actually, and…” Lance rubbed his chin in thought. “This could work, yes. We present our more sympathetic narrative and we might be able to calm things down!”

Lance grinned. “Ha! I knew talking to you and Sabrina would be a good idea!” he declared before hanging up.

I stared at the blank screen. “Is it just me or was Lance a little.. Desperate?” 

“He was. I think he has been looking for something that he can use, the reminder of broadcasting channels isn’t bad.” Sabrina eyed me. “A Vocal Minority? I didn’t think you were so well versed in idioms, or was that political theory in which case it would be skewed representation no?” I held my face trying not to think of anything specific.. There were just so many areas where vocal minorities messed stuff up in my last reality.

I shrugged. “Something that got tossed around a lot in my past life, but you’re probably right, skewed representation is more accurate.”

I drummed the table. “Suppose I can’t be too critical of Lance seeing as this whole incident came from left field for a lot of them. I certainly hadn’t been expecting Team Cipher to do what they did. Fiore’s reaction… is almost understandable considering they made the Masterball stipulation one of their only points of contention for Indigo.” 

Sabrina hummed and patted me on the head. Eerily reminding me of Alakazam. “Don’t get too worked up about it. I’m glad that you’re looking to step away from this. I don’t want you going to war.”

I reached up and took her hand in mine. “Me neither, nor do I want you getting dragged into it so let’s for the next month or until the circuit starts just take a step back from saving the world?”

Sabrina smiled. “Are you saying that because there aren’t any incidents that require us to intervene, according to you or that you’re going to take a step back and let them happen?”

“Both,” I replied thankfully.

She shook her head but gave a small tinkling laugh at my antics. “Very well Brock. We’ll focus on simple things like our upcoming wedding.” Then she made a face. “And handling Lola.”

I mirrored Sabrina’s expression. “Yeah, I’m counting what we did here as a victory for us with… unforeseen complications—” I was about to say more when Sabrina caught my cheeks with her hands.

She shook her head. “Let’s not talk about it anymore, or else we’ll talk ourselves in circles,” she looked outside. “Let’s go do something meaningful.”

“What did you have in mind?” I asked.

“Are the Legendaries still on the beach?” she asked, and I perked up. 

That.. was a very good point, and was definitely worth checking out. “Yeah let’s go check in on them.” 

With a destination in mind Sabrina and I returned most of our pokemon bar Alakazam and Kirlia for Sabrina, while Titan, Bertha and Link remained out for me.

“...” I paused as I recalled that there was one pokemon that I hadn’t seen in a while. I pinged the bond only to grimace. “Arceus damn it Don,” I muttered. I handed Bertha his pokeball and pointed to the south side of the island.

“Can you… deal with that please?” I asked of Bertha.

She huffed as she made a ‘money’ gesture that had me sighing as she projected an image towards me.

“Yeah alright I’ll bankroll a new cave that is magical girl themed for you, just go... Recall Don. I don’t want to see the beach after what I know he’s up to.”

Bertha grimaced but still stomped/skipped away to complete the task.

Sabrina shook her head. “Those poor Wingul.”

“I give him an inch, and he always, without fail takes a mile,” I muttered.

Sabrina pat me on the hand consolingly as we made our way to the beach.

When we’d left it there had been a small crowd of people, but now there was a dedicated fence a hundred metres around the beach. Overhead Rangers and police rode Pidgeot and Fearow in patrolling sweeps that kept them well away from the beach but gave them clear lines of sight for any entry points on the way up.

Despite this there was still a crowd of people lingering on the beach.

Along with… Jessie, James and Meowth with a stall. “Roll up roll up! Get your commemorative mugs, shirts, board shorts and sand globes! If you survived the cataclysm you deserve something nice to remember it by! Authentic merchandise only sold here!”

“How… did they set this up so quickly?” I asked, feeling a bit stunned while also being very impressed. This was insane. How had they gotten all these goods? Did they wander around with merchandise ready for rebranding it for any event or something?

Meowth grinned as he gestured towards a yellow feather. “Each purchase over one thousand pokedollars sees you enter the raffle for a limited prize! Yes indeed, we have here a one of a kind Zapdos feather from your Lightning island resident!”

“That’s tauros dung!” shouted someone at the back of the crowd. “No way that’s a real feather!”

Meowth grinned and produced his transceiver to reveal several photos of the trio standing guard of a downed Zapdos. It even showed Visquez approaching the downed Legendary with a fierce expression. “Oh I guess this photographic evidence means nothing then eh? We were there while you were huddled up under your bedsheets! Don’t question us!”

“I’ll take twenty shirts!” shouted another person and Jessie happily handed over a box of shirts.

Sabrina hummed. “Their business acumen is first rate.”

I just shook my head before an idea came to me. I marched to the front of the crowd with Sabrina and people quickly noticed us as a hush fell.

Jessie, James, and Meowth noticed but gave us their best salesmen smiles.

I nodded back at them. “I thought that was you. Good work out there, I meant to thank you for your efforts. I don’t think Zapdos would have remained free if it wasn’t for you three.” Then I gave their stock a look over. “I’ll take a box of.. Sand globes,.”

Meowth happily handed them, and my ‘ticket’ for the raffle to me. I inspected the sand globes and was rather amused to find that they’d used beach sand mixed with water, oil, and glitter coloured to the various Legendary pokemon within.

They had Zapdos, Articuno, Moltres, Raikou, Suicune, Entei, and even Lugia. 

I hummed. “No Regirock?” I asked.

James coughed. “Seemed it might infringe on patent laws with your Gym owning the rights to Regirock’s image seeing as he’s your pokemon.”

“Ah, I’ll have my lawyer reach out to you about licensing rights. If you’re going to have them all you need the set,” I replied before nodding. “I’ll collect a few when you’re done,” I said before sauntering off.

Behind me the crowd surged back in, now demanding their own goods with how I’d given the trio’s stall a ‘tick of approval’.

“They are going to make so much money by the time this is done,” Sabrina mused. 

“And so they should. They were pretty much in the thick of it,” I replied. “I’d hate to think how things would have gone if we’d had to chase after a Cipher controlled Zapdos on top of everything else,” I replied.

“True,” Sabrina stated as we made our way up the cordon which had a few people poking their heads into gaps in the fence, trying to catch glimpses of the Legendary pokemon. In one area there appeared to be some singed earth that made me think a fire had broken out.

Police or Rangers quickly hunted them away. 

“Hold it there!” declared a police officer accompanied by a pair of Arcanine. “The beach is off limits for the moment!”

Sabrina hummed but otherwise stood her ground. I glanced at her for a moment then turned my attention back to the police. “We’re aware, we were hoping to check up on them.”

The man shifted. “I’m sorry but my orders are that noone will be—”

A gust of wind swept through the area and a moment later Suicune stood next to us, tossing its mane and eying us. Then it nodded and gestured with its head towards the beach.

With another gust of wind the pokemon vanished in a blur of speed.

“It seems we’re being invited in,” I offered to the flabbergasted police officer.

The man sighed. “Yeah, I’m not going to gainsay a Legendary pokemon. Just know that people will be interested in their actions. They’ve rejected a few others already today.”

“Got it,” I replied. 

The man opened a gate in the fence and gestured for us to walk through. “Oh, and tell Visquez to report back soon! She’s been in there most of the day!” he barked at our backs.

“Trust Visquez to get here earlier,” I murmured. 

“I think the only thing that would have kept her back is if Zapdos was inviting her to Lightning island.”

That got a laugh out of me. “Can you imagine? She’d be standing in the middle wondering which way to go first, Raikou or Zapdos?”

Sabrina lips twitched upwards. We emerged from the trees leading up to the beach to find that… not much, and a lot had changed since we’d last been here.

The Legendary pokemon were all present but the parent Lugia now looked more comfortable. There was a trio of Blissey accompanied by a trio of Nurse Joy surrounding it, one of whom was tall, buff and tanned.

This caused her to tower over her compatriots but none of them paid us any attention as they kept their focus on the sleeping Lugia.

Behind them however, sprawled on the sand were Flannery and Visquez with the baby Lugia nudging them.

“No little one! The spirit is willing but my body can’t keep playing!” whined Visquez from where she was being nudged gently by the child Lugia.

The little one crooned sadly and moved back to Flannery who lay still, not making any noise.

“Oi! Stop faking Red!” Visquez barked. “You’re going to freak Little Lugi out!”

Flannery was nudged onto her back only to reveal that she was passed out which caused Visquez to cough. “Oh… alright then fair enough,” she muttered.

Visquez then spotted us. “Oh! Thank goodness you’re here! You can take over playtime!” she declared as she began crawling for the shade.

Lugia turned and perked up upon seeing us. With a flap of its wings it swept over to us and would have bowled us both over if Titan hadn’t stepped forward and caught the child pokemon.

Lugia whined softly but Titan just smirked and barked something before diving into the sand and burrowing away.

Lugia whined out a shrilly tone at that but still gave chase, trying to predict where Titan would emerge only for him to double back and trick Lugia.

“They’re playing tag,” Sabrina mused as she gestured to Flannery and lifted the fire type trainer up off the sand and into the shade next to Visquez. From my pouch I drew some lemonade and snacks which I handed off to the pair of girls.

“Oooooh, thank you!” Flannery groaned as she reached up and caught it. “I came down here right away and got dragged into a game that just didn’t stop!”

“Sooo, why didn’t you have your pokemon join in?” I asked.

Visquez snorted. “And miss out on the chance to play with an actual Legendary pokemon? Are you kidding me? I’ll be telling everyone I know about this!” she said lifting up her transceiver to show off video of her, Flannery and Lugia playing around.

“Speaking of Legendary pokemon, where are…” I trailed off as I looked around, hunting for the Cats only to find them curled up asleep in the shade.  

“Oh, they are Legendary Cats I suppose,” I muttered as I realised that the three cats were very much staying away from the baby Lugia that wanted to play. Suicune yawned and seemed to smirk at me from where it was laying, like it hadn’t drawn us in just to act as bait for the young pokemon.

Link and Kirlia I noted, had also joined in the game that was growing with Titan being ‘tagged’, he now had to hunt the others much to Lugia’s delight.

It was rather amusing to watch them gambol and fly around with Lugia staying close enough to the ground to ‘play fair’ while the land bound pokemon were allowed to use the environment to their advantage.

My pokedex was drawn out quietly and I began quietly making observations of the pokemon at play. I was honestly amazed that Oak wasn’t down here but then again he might have been drawn into whatever was up with that Doctor that arrived in a submarine. “Heh, he is going to have to pay for this video,” I murmured to myself, before making a mental note to delete the sounds of me making just that observation.

Still, it certainly warmed my heart a little knowing he was busy handling the aftermath of the aftermath..

By the time the game had gone through several rounds I had some good footage of Lugia in flight. For a child I had to give it props. It was fast, and agile, able to use the small raised fins on its back to adjust its profile.

As for speed… “Hey Lugia!” I shouted, drawing its attention. “Are you hungry?” I raised an Oran berry and Lugia wiggled like a growlithe that had spotted a treat.

“Catch it!” I shouted, throwing it to the side. 

Lugia’s head locked on the berry and with a snap of its wings and tail it launched itself into the air, causing a blast of sand to wash over Titan, Kirlia, and Link.

Kirlia spluttered and spat in annoyance, shaking her fist at me while my pokemon merely shook it off, more than used to being coated in sand.

Lugia caught the berry and I hummed. It had just covered… three hundred or so metres in less than seven seconds? From a standing start that was impressive. I’d put it up there with Latias. 

“Want to go again?” I called, raising another berry, and Lugia nodded enthusiastically.

I flicked another Berry into the air and it dove, if anything going faster.

And so a new game began with me lobbing treats to Lugia while recording it. I even started to fake it out with a toss in one direction only to throw in another direction.

Lugia shrieked at this but didn’t stop to consider it too much, instead streaking across the sky to grab the now distant berry before it hit the ground.

“Way to go Lugia!” shouted Visquez. “You showed him!” she roared while Flannery giggled but clapped along in support.

Lugia preened at this and I was about to toss another berry when a heavy presence behind me had me turning to find that while I’d been ‘researching’ Lugia’s capabilities, Sabrina had been helping out the nurses with the parent. 

The nurses I noted had departed with their Blissey in tow.

Which meant Sabrina had noticed my antics and was now giving me a less than impressed stare.

“Brock, have you been teasing that baby pokemon?”

“It’s not teasing!” I waved a hand back and forth. “It’s not teasing if we’re both having fun!”

Sabrina hummed and turned her attention to Lugia. “Lugia, has Brock been teasing you?”

Lugia tilted its head so much it curled in on itself. It was so cute I couldn’t help myself, I snapped a picture while laughing. With how Lugia’s little mouth was covered with a blue smear it looked adorably innocent.

Sabrina giggled, mollified that I obviously wasn’t teasing it.

A yowl from Entei caused me to stiffen and glance over at the fire type. Flannery sat up with a grin. “Are you hungry Entei? I have some fireflakes from my hometown that I’ve been saving up for a good meal! I can go get you some tauros leg also to enjoy!”

Entei nodded regally and Flannery sprinted off.

“Get ten times the amount you were thinking so we can feed the other two as well!” shouted Visquez to Flannery’s back.

Flannery didn’t even question it as she tossed a wave to acknowledge the order.

Visquez grinned. “She’s a straightforward type of gal ain’t she?”

If that wasn’t the pot calling the kettle black I wasn’t sure I’d heard a better example.

Visquez propped her chin with her hand. “So, I reckon now’s a good enough time to talk about that secret club you must be a part of? Am I cool enough to join it yet?”

Sabrina sighed and shot me a look. “You had to call Janine to verify the submarine’s location, didn’t you?”

“I mean! We needed to move with all haste!” I replied quickly.

Sabrina stared at me, her lips twitching. “You really are terrible at keeping some secrets.”

“Only from people that know me and I can trust!” I replied, knowing she was alluding to other secrets that I’d kept for years without ever breathing a word about, but you feel a tiny bit of conflict over keeping your friends out of your secret club and they start thinking they can read you like a book!

“One of these days I’m going to play you all in poker,” I muttered. 

Sabrina smirked. “Oh?”

“Other people, not you,” I hastily said. 

There was no way I was going against her. Even if I dampened her psychic abilities she was smart enough to run all the percentages of poker plus a few other tricks that I no doubt would be my demise.

The Guardians… probably wouldn’t mind if we admitted Visquez. She was a pillar of Kanto, which was currently a requirement with Agatha still being one of the leading figures. If I asked to include someone like Lorelei, or Falkner she’d probably pitch a fit.

But Visquez would be fine.

“I’ll talk to the others and we’ll see about reading you in,” I replied.

“And probably testing me huh? How do you do it? Drag me out into the wilds and try to break my spirit? Well, I’ll be ready for you!” she crowed.

Sabrina tilted her head like she was confused. “No, actually we have tea and talk about our goals in a gazebo. Why would we try to hurt a new member? That’s barbaric,” she said without so much as a twitch.

Which in turn made Visquez twitch herself, I wasn't sure if it was in confusion or horror..

I turned, pretending I was tracking Lugia who had started to dive into and out of the water. I suspected the child was catching some dinner with nearby water types, so I said as much to my pokedex.

“I can’t tell if you’re messing with me, and Brock has gotten distracted doing his Professor thing,” Visquez muttered. “But I’ll be ready for your invite. I gather short and poisonous is in the know yeah?”

Sabrina huffed, “That’s not much of a leap seeing as Brock called her.”

“Is she alright?” Visquez said with a serious tone and I turned from studying Lugia to see that Visquez was locking eyes with Sabrina, worry clear on her face. “She was up in that fancy airship right? It took a few knocks. Knocks that I saw wiped out Zapdos even. She must have felt that.”

Sabrina’s lips twitched up. “You’ll make a good addition,” she said. “But you’re forgetting something.”

Visquez tilted her head. “What’s that?”

Sabrina raised her transceiver. “We can just call her to check in,” she said and I laughed as Visquez became very sheepish. 

“Oh yeah, I got kinda caught up in the hush hush secrets, I thought she might be somewhere… you know out of contact?” she muttered as she rubbed the back of her head. “Ahaha! My bad!” she bellowed.

Sabrina rolled her eyes and dialled Janine’s number as I moved to join them in the shade. When the call connected Janine answered with a polite smile and a bow of her head.

“Hell—”

“Short and deadly! Are you alright?” roared Visquez as she leapt to her feet to get into the view of the camera.

Janine leaned back at the sudden barrage of noise. “Ah? Yes! I’m fine! I’m back home to help my father with his recovery. He likes to put up a stoic front but he doesn’t bounce back like he used to!”

“Heh! He came in pretty clutch near the end there, but then when that bitch from Fiore rocked up he was gone!” Visquez declared. “Did he get to see the end? Sabrina had this solo where she sang to Lugia and fixed it right up and then Brock’s Celfable did this healing trick to get Lugia all patched up so we could use some meds on it!” 

Sabrina and I shared a smile as Visquez started regaling Janine with what had happened.

Janine smiled indulgently and I held back a chuckle. I’d already filed multiple reports along with video of the entire incident from my point of view. I’d also been able to get Forrest’s playback of the event earlier this morning.

I was sure that the Guardian’s weren’t going to be the only ones looking through it in the weeks to come as witnessing so many Legendary pokemon fighting and walking away was something of a rare distinction. 

“So you doing anything after you pops is healed up?” Visquez asked. “I reckon we need to have a victory celebration. I didn’t see you but with all the ninja running around I figured you were somewhere outta sight!”

Janine coughed. “Yes, I was. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to catch up,” she said. I had to give her props for her poker face, it was well crafted but by the twitch of Visquez’s lips I knew she was baiting Janine for future teasing.

“Yeah, you were really flying around I’d say,” Visquez replied.

Janine continued to nod with a placid smile but turned her attention to Sabrina and I. “How have you two been? I understand from your messages that Sabrina was in a coma for a while there Brock?”

“Almost a full day,” I replied, causing Visquez to stiffen and stare at Sabrina, her earlier teasing left off her face. “It was a bit scary but with everything she’d been doing it made sense to me.” 

“Damn that’s crazy, I just got a bit twitchy after everything was done,” Visquez replied. 

“You probably need a doctor to look you over,” I shot at the mad woman. Then I tilted my head, recalling how I’d tried to drag her off Raikou. “Then again I probably need to see one as well.”

Visquez rubbed the back of her head but gave me a shameless grin. “Ehehe!” 

“Good to hear you're alright,” Janine offered. Then she fidgeted. “Brock… What is your take on the war?”

“It’s not something I understand, but that seems to be everyone but Fiore’s thoughts at the moment. Orre has emerged on the international stage due to Cipher’s actions and in doing so stepped on a huge red button for Fiore.”

I glanced over towards the slumbering Legendary pokemon about the beach. “But then again… their actions were extreme.”

Janine nodded. “I have been considering… volunteering as a scout to make—”

“Don’t,” Visquez stated firmly, cutting off Janine. “Listen Janine, talk to your old man about war, and if he’s not talking you out of going then I’ll drag you to talk to my pops and he can explain all the nitty-gritty.” 

Visquez worked her jaw. “You shouldn’t go there, even if you’re not going to do anything, you should steer clear of it. Let others do that. Leave Fiore to its mistakes. There are going to be observers, and also?" Visquez jerked a thumb to Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. “Also, trust in the Legendaries. This is their region. They’re not going to let Fiore just kick the good people around.”

Sabrina, Janine, and I all stared at Visquez.

“There are times when I think you’re nothing but a loud braggart like your father…” Janine murmured. “But then you surprise me with… you have so much depth to you that you so rarely let others see,” Janine bowed her head. 

“Very well, I will not go to Orre. There are others that will go and I shall entrust the task of safeguarding the innocent from Fiore’s wrath to them.”

Visquez coughed. “I’m glad. I think the idea of you becoming any quieter, or smaller would be a sad thing.”

Sabrina and I shared a look with each other behind Visquez’s back as the girl shifted into her typical, more upbeat grin. “But it sucks that you can't come check out Raikou! She’s a beaut!”

“Oh? It’s a girl?” I asked turning to inspect Raikou. Were there any signs? In the game most Legendaries were genderless.

Visquez snorted and chopped the air in my direction. “That’s enough copying Oak’s gag! You were bad enough with Silver over there!” she grunted as she waved a hand towards the child Lugia. 

I held in a chuckle. In another world, that would be how it was known.

Visquez shook her head. “Urgh! Anyway! The point of the matter is you should get back down here Janine so we can have a big party! It ain’t a proper victory if there’s not a party afterwards!”

“Ah… alright, but there will need to be some supplies flown in,” she sifted, “Also, it feels wrong as the people of the Orange islands are struggling…” Janine muttered. 

Visquez snorted. “Well, obviously I’m inviting all of the Shamouti people as well! They were here and their faith to keep the prophecy going has helped us out big time! We’re gonna give them a big party and the Legendaries can come and everyone can show the best of humanity!” he declared.

“A party does sound nice,” rumbled a deep voice that rumbled through my stomach.

Everyone blinked and turned to find that Lugia, the much larger adult, was now awake.

‘Silver’ dove and slapped into its parent’s body where it began to croon and squawk, causing its parent to turn and regard them for a few moments before its gaze softened. 

When it turned back I noticed that its mouth didn’t open. “You have my thanks for entertaining my child. They speak highly of you. And to you as well, young Psychic,” Lugia turned its head to focus on Sabrina.

“You have my thanks for your aid in healing me, and easing my mind just now. I felt your touch.” Lugia bowed its head towards her.

Sabrina mirrored it. “It was my pleasure to help you, I assure you noble Lugia,” Sabrina replied. 

“Yes, I suppose beings as strong as you and your mate would notice the imbalance in the energies so close to your home and act,” stated Lugia with a nod.

Sabrina and I blinked before we could ask about that, a loud rumble echoed through the beach.

“I hunger! I must hunt for food to fill my needs. I shall ask you to keep my child here while I do that as I must range far and fast to fill my stomach. When I return in a day’s time, perhaps we can have that party?” 

We all nodded, at the ‘suggestion’ and Lugia rose, causing dust and sand to go flying. Kirlia must have realised what was about to happen as she threw herself behind Titan as Lugia swept its wings and caused a huge wave of sand to wash over everyone as it took off.

I shook the sand away while Sabrina stepped out from behind her barrier.

Visquez spluttered and coughed while Titan just stepped forward, leaving a small hill of sand behind him.

“Ahoy there! I’m back with the meat!” called Flannery as she sprinted back to the beach, lugging a large sack over her shoulder.

Visquez pursed her lips. “We’re gonna need a lot of food,” she muttered and I could only nod.

“Yeah, good one for that,” I replied.

Visquez squinted at me. “Are you mocking me or praising me for suggesting a party?”

“Let’s just say it was super effective and leave it at that,” I replied. Right now it was time to make some calls and see if I could get my family down here within the day along with a lot of other things. 

Partying with a group of Legendary pokemon wasn’t what I’d expected to happen but it had a certain appeal to it. I started compiling a list of people to call and quickly realised that Shamouti was about to be transformed.

Lance alone would cause big enough waves but if I didn’t invite everyone on my contact list I felt like I’d have failed.

Heh, sucks to be Surge. He would just have to watch on from prison.

The thought had me chuckling as I realised another thing. “Heh, if Fjord wasn’t in such a hurry to cause trouble, she’d get to sit and enjoy a party with these Legends.”

Maybe we could use that to calm things down some?

I wasn’t sure, but I’d pitch it to the people that might know more, as it was, I suddenly had a lot to do and a deadline fast approaching.

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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!

It also goes to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!