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New year, new arc. Let's keep this show rolling. Only four arcs left till everything explodes. Strap in folks!
Chapter Ninety: How Far We'll Go
Before the blindfold had even been torn from her face, Alaska had to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun. "Fuck sake, some time to acclimatise would've been nice. Some of us still have eyes in our heads."
"Not for much longer if you keep that mouth running," Blaine growled. "What sort of hero are you if you can't even handle a bit of sunlight?"
"A blind one," Alaska spat back. She turned to the gym leader and shot him as powerful of a glare as she could while she tried to blink away the white smear burned into her eyes.
"You know he can't see that, right?"
Alaska rolled her anger-filled eyes at Damian. "Just because he can't experience my withering high beams right now doesn't mean I don't get the satisfaction of – OW!"
Blaine smirked as he led the way out of the rocky tunnel, twirling the cane he had just struck her with in his hands. "One final lesson for you, girl; the only true satisfaction of harming someone else is when you actually harm them."
"Wasn't that technically the first lesson?"
"Was it? I thought I'd spent the last day imparting all my earthly wisdom on you."
"No, you just made me think you hated me, laughed, and then hid in the shadows."
Blaine nodded. "I knew the first thing I said didn't sound right," he said with a throaty cackle, and he casually strolled down the thin bank of sand that constituted a beach on this frozen island, joyfully swinging his cane in his hands.
Alaska watched him with burning contempt. If this was happening a few weeks ago, she'd probably push him onto the jagged rocks that bordered them and watched as the waves crashed over him. But times had changed, and even if it was Blaine's fault she'd slept on the floor of a cave last night, she couldn't blame him for any of her current feelings.
Her journey through Seafoam had only lasted two nights, but it had left Alaska drained. She was enjoying the warmth of the sunlight after several days wandering through icy passages, but even as she limped away from Seafoam's caves, she couldn't escape the memory of what had happened down there: the reality stars, the ice in her lungs, fighting with Damian, warring with Amanda, Paige evolving, the river, fighting with Damian again, fighting with Paige, fucking Ponyta. It was a package holiday from hell – so much chaos in so little time, and she hadn't even received the continental breakfast.
If she had the choice, Alaska would find the nearest bed and crawl into it and not wake up until this was all over. The last few weeks since Saffron had been the most intense physical and emotional experience of her life, and the last decent sleep she'd had was when Scar nearly killed her.
Yet she couldn't stop now. Her eyes finally adjusted to the real world, Alaska realised how close they were to the ocean: cobalt water crashed rhythmically against the beach and the rocks around them, but beyond their little cove was simply nothing. She could see the clouds like melted steel reflected on the ocean's surface, but beyond that, the water simply went on forever and ever without any sign of life except a few birds flying overhead. Sandy was somewhere in all of this openness, if Amanda hadn't killed her yet. They had no reason to believe she was dead, and Alaska wouldn't entertain the thought until she had searched everywhere for her friend.
I've let you down too many times – I am not letting you down again. She held that thought at the front of her mind, and it was the only thing that kept Alaska standing on her bung leg, Hestia and Damian framing her as they watched Blaine hobbling about.
"Alright, let's get this over with before a passing cruise ship ruins my whole charade." Blaine stepped aside and pointed to the sand with his cane: seven x's were carved into the grains several feet apart in what looked like three separate clusters. The gym leader walked back to Alaska and made the eighth right in front of her, over a metre between it and the rest. "That is Seafoam. Those seven are the Sevii Islands. The last GPS records suggest Bertram's boat was heading towards the archipelago, but the signal faded before we could find out their destination. However, history would suggest they are going towards one of these two." Blaine pointed to the one closest before leaning and tapping the one furthest away. "One and Seven Island."
"Imaginative lot."
"Quiet!" Blaine barked before settling back into his teacherly persona. "When the authorities ordered Giovanni to disband Project Rocket, he had his army attack the Sevii Islands in order to split up the allied forces, though the main battle was fought on One Island. The town has rebuilt and there is a memorial there to the victims, so Amanda could go there for historical justice.
"However, Giovanni himself was based in Seven Island. His operations were housed in an abandoned tower just north of the main town. The gods destroyed it during the final onslaught, and the League attempted to cast away the memory of Rocket by building a battle facility, which Giovanni in turn destroyed. Now it's just a ruin, and I'd say it's safe to imagine Amanda has taken Sandy and Lachlan there. But they will need to go through all the other islands to reach it, and if they were to stop to refuel, it would be at One Island."
"So we're flying to that island first?" Alaska asked, and Blaine nodded. "Good, let's get going then."
"What, already?" Damian shrieked incredulously. "Are you planning on taking Amanda on alone?"
"I've done it before, I think I can handle her again," Alaska shot back as she retrieved a Poké Ball from her pocket.
"My memory may be a little foggy after falling into a freezing river, but didn't she come pretty close to shooting you in the face a few days ago?"
Alaska fired Damian her most withering look, but the reality star held his own, his backs straightened and hands clenched by his side. "She surprised me, I'll admit that, but I won't let that happen again. I may have made a mistake back in the cave, but so did Amanda – the bitch took the only person in the world I truly care about from me, and I will make sure she rues the day."
Blaine's croaky chuckle cut through the tension. "If we put a flaming collar around your neck, you would be a perfect addition to my gym."
Alaska ignored the jibe, focussing on her Poké Ball as she threw it towards the sand. The capsule burst open in the middle of Blaine's etchings and the red energy poured into the sky. With a triumphant squawk, Paige formed, her expansive wings shimmering in the light, and she began to soar in great, swooping circles above their heads. It was her first time in open air since evolving, and Alaska's heart warmed to watch her Pokémon making the most of her freedom, head crest trailing gloriously behind her. Yet her joy lasted mere moments before it was taken from her.
"What about Leaf and all of them? I thought you were working with them? Why are we not waiting for them?"
A little voice in the back of Alaska's head reminded her that Damian was on her side, but it was still a struggle not to kick him in the balls when she turned to him. "And what will happen in the time it takes them to get there? I am not risking Amanda killing my best friend. If Leaf and her lot have read my blog, which they probably get before I've even finished writing it, they will know what is happening and will be making their own decisions. If they choose to help us, they will, but I can't wait for them to make their minds up."
"You must consider, Damian, that this could be part of Amanda's plan," Hestia said, resting a furry hand on the boy's shoulder. "She might be using Sandy to try and lure the gym leaders into a trap, and that would only make this whole situation a lot worse."
Damian didn't meet the Delphox in the eye, his sullen face instead staring out to sea, but he nodded briefly and Alaska sighed with relief; he may be coming to this late, but Damian at least showed a few signs he understood the gravity of the situation.
"You two could come with us, though. Amanda won't see that coming."
Blaine smirked. "Thanks for the offer, boy-o, but I don't fancy myself getting caught up in whatever fiery plans your associate here has for the producer."
"Oh Blaine, are you flirting with me?" Alaska said, winking as she blew an air kiss.
Blaine shook his head. "Don't make me sick."
"So are you just going to stay here then and let us do all the dirty work?" Damian asked, his lips pursed.
"Weren't you listening last night, kid?" Blaine snapped. "I'm on your side, but that doesn't mean I am going to throw myself head first into your little war. I've set up a nice little life for myself here and I am not sacrificing any of that just yet. Now that I know Alaska is up to this task, I need more information and I can't find any of it here."
"No shit, it's a cave," Alaska said.
"It's more the fact I am purposefully not connected to all the central mainframes," Blaine replied caustically. "The world of Pokémon is connected by multiple computer networks; the PC system, league databases, the global trading system, and those are just the biggest ones. I haven't logged in to any of my accounts since 2008, and there are resources I'll need to bring me up to speed. But there are also a number of files and programs that even Red and Oak won't have access to, and that's mostly because they are all buried beneath several layers of volcanic rock."
Alaska glanced to her left. "You mean they are on Cinnabar?"
"Yes, Cinnabar," Blaine said, grabbing Alaska's head and tilting it to her right. "Everything that's happened to Kanto in the last few years all started on Cinnabar: the Rocket Group, Project M2, Missingno and all his mad ideas. Gideon and I were both there at the very beginning alongside Giovanni. It could be a long shot, but if there are any clues out there saying what Gideon is up to, they'll be there."
"Well, as long as I'm not the one who has to go to that melted shithole, I'm happy."
Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? And how do you expect to get your Volcano Badge?" His cracked lips spread open in a yellow-toothed grin as Alaska's face went slack. "What, did you think you were going to complete your last two precious steps in Johto?"
Alaska crossed her arms and straightened her back. "Who says I want to battle you? I could hop on a train to Goldenrod anytime I want and finish this all off there."
"And face Whitney's Miltank? On your training regime?" Blaine snorted. "Bitch, please, you need to get your priorities in order. No, you and I will face off once you have found your friend. Meet me on Cinnabar Island – Hestia will know when you are approaching – and we will battle. Four on four. No spectators. Does that work for you?"
"I guess," Alaska said, shrugging. She didn't think she had any space left in her brain to start thinking about a new battle strategy, but she was pleased for the challenge. "Am I going to remember this match? I should feel honoured."
"You should," Blaine sneered, stepping forwards so his bald, eyeless head loomed over her. Alaska refused to let her guard down and stood firmly, and after a few moments the sneer twisted into a smirk. "You've down some good work out there, girl. Don't let anybody tell you any different. The whole thing with Giovanni might have gone a lot differently if Red and Leaf had found their spines a little earlier. I hope you find your friend, and I hope you end this war your way."
"Wow, thanks… um, I don't know what to say." Alaska looked to Damian and Hestia for advice, but they both seemed just as taken aback by Blaine's kindness as she was.
"In fact, I've got a gift for you." Blaine reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag, a single Poké Ball sitting inside. "I may be out of the system, but that doesn't mean I am entirely useless. I wiped the ID on this last night so the ownership is currently blank. Once you've touched it, it will register your fingerprint and it will be yours."
"Fuck me, are you serious?" Alaska pulled the capsule out before she got an answer. The white half lit up blue before the button flashed red, and Alaska knew it was hers. A new Pokémon, a Fire type at that. She longed to know what it was, and catching Blaine's proud smile, Alaska rolled it onto the ground.
"Thank you, I can't tell you how much this means to me. I wouldn't say I hate the other gym leaders, but it was difficult with them, but with you it's – oh, fuck you, you old prick!"
Blaine's laughter erupted across the beach, making the Ponyta jump in fright, blue flames shaking violently. The Fire type looked down at the ball it had come out of and traced it back to Alaska, and Alaska could see her own expression reflected in the horse's bulging face.
"NYYYYY!" Ponyta reared her head and turned towards Blaine, but the gym leader stepped backwards.
"No, no, no, you're with her now." He smiled at his former Pokémon, his grin the opposite of the thin grimace across her face. "Oh come now, why the long face?"
"I thought you said this was a gift."
"It is. Doesn't mean it has to be a good one," Blaine sniggered.
"This bitch hates me though. What am I supposed to do with her?"
"Learn something, for one," Blaine replied, grinning malevolently. "And secondly, if you are going to search seven islands for a psychopathic producer, you will need some transport, and she might learn something from that."
"What is she going to teach me, math?"
"She could probably give you some geography lessons," Damian said.
"I think you already know the answer, girl. Besides, didn't you mother teach you not to look a gift horse in the mouth – BAHAHAHAHA!" Blaine slapped his leg before turning back to the cave mouth, cane twirling in one hand and the other linking around Hestia's arm. The Delphox looked back apologetically, but even her wise face was struggling not to laugh, and the pair stepped back into the cave and disappeared into the darkness, only Blaine's echoing cackle remaining.
Alaska watched the mouth long after the two had disappeared, struggling to decide if she was angry or amused. She could certainly see the joke in all this, but having a slot on her team taken up with a smug, moody horse was about the last thing she needed right now. She picked up the Poké Ball and turned back to the Ponyta; she was watching her distrustfully, a snooty sneer across its sparkling yellow fur.
"Well, if we're stuck together, we might as well find some way to get along." Alaska stepped forward, but the Ponyta turned around, making a noise that sounded awfully like a 'humph'. "Well then," Alaska said testily, "I suppose we better leave it there for now…. Bluebell."
Ponyta's jaw dropped, but she dissipated into red light before the weight of her nickname could settle in. Alaska stared at the ball, her fingers white as she gripped it; she had an idea what Blaine was getting at, but it would be a long time before she would appreciate this. Sighing, she swivelled to face the ocean and found Damian and Paige standing behind her, both biting their lips. "Something funny?" She asked thinly.
"Nope," Damian said unconvincingly.
"Gee," Paige added, her eyes watering above her quivering smile.
Alaska chose to take the high ground and pushed her anger aside. She met Paige's eyes and pointed towards the makeshift map. "We're heading to the Sevii Islands, which is that way," she said, pointing the right way this time. "It's going to be a long way away, are you up for that?"
Paige stretched her wings to their full length and nodded. The scar from the bullet was basically visible, a thin tawny line of bulbous flesh hidden buried within the feathers. Alaska brushed her fingers against it and Paige didn't flinch, simply watching her trainer with stern but kindly eyes that warmed Alaska to her core.
"Alright, let's do this." Alaska hoisted her bag up her back and gestured at Paige, who lowered her chest to the ground.
"Wait, do you actually know where you are going?" Damian said. "Don't you want to look it up on my Pokédex; there is a map on that."
"There is nothing around Sevii except ocean and a fuckton of Magikarp. I am pretty sure we'll be fine."
Damian rolled his eyes but didn't say another word, which was exactly how Alaska liked him. She climbed onto Paige's back, resting her bunched up legs in the folds below the Pidgeot's neck where back met wing. Damian climbed on behind her, his weight making Paige shift and causing Alaska to slid backwards, her neck hitting his face.
"Well, isn't this romantic."
"If you say so," Damian said stiffly.
Alaska laughed as tapped Paige's neck. "Let's go find our friend!"
"PIDGEEEE!" Paige squawked. She began vigorously flapping her wings, creating a small cloud of sand that battered Alaska and Damian. The Pidgeot then sprinted towards the end of the beach, her wings outstretched, and she launched into the air.
Alaska didn't notice the water until it was too late; her mind was already in Sevii, wondering where Sandy would be, and it only returned to her body when it was plunged into the cold southern seas. Alaska cried out in shock, bubbles flying from her mouth, and she flailed until she got hold of Paige's damp neck.
"FUCK!" The shout breached the water before Alaska did, echoing over their tiny little cove. Using Paige's headcrest as a rope, she hauled herself onto her back. "What the hell happened?"
"Pidgey Pidge Eot Geee!" Paige squawked back. She waddled backwards onto the sand and then tilted backwards, throwing both humans back onto the sand.
"What's wrong with her?" Damian spluttered, brushing sodden clumps of blond hair out of his eyes but only succeeding in smearing sand across his face.
"She said you're too fat." Alaska could feel Damian scowling at her but didn't care. She needed to let off some steam. They may have landed on sand, but the fall had been jarring, sending renewed spasms down her leg. Sandy probably has it a lot worse, her small voice in her head pointed out, and Alaska knew it had a point.
"Well, clearly Paige can't carry both of us." Alaska looked at Paige for confirmation, and the Flying type nodded curtly back. "Well, I don't know what to do now. Can you ride Gyarados?"
Damian shook his head. "Not for that distance. Gyarados skin is too rough for long journeys. Plus they fly like they are swimming, basically shaking their bodies like an Ekans through grass. It'd be a struggle to hang on."
"Well, we could leave you here…" Alaska said, earning a feathery thump around the head from Paige.
"Don't worry, I've got an idea." Damian pulled out a Poké Ball and pressed the button; red light poured out and revealed a rejuvenated Charmeleon, whose sullen face got darker as he saw their wet clothes.
"I don't think he's going to be much use on water."
Damian ignored her as he pulled out what appeared to be several small lollies and slid towards his Pokémon. "I know we wanted to do this the proper way, but we've got to move things along if we want to save Lochy. It's not ideal and I'm not giving you any time to think about it, but do you think you're ready?"
Alaska had no idea what Damian was on about, but Charmeleon did; with a wide grin made entirely of sharp teeth, he grabbed the candies without question. Sharp claws tore through the foil wrapping, revealing hard blue balls that the Fire type swallowed whole.
"I'd step back if I was you," Damian said, his eyes shining with glee.
Alaska did as suggested, even if she didn't know why, but a second later Charmeleon began to glow and everything made sense. They all watched as the Flame Pokémon doubled in size, arms and legs that were the length of a small child's quickly turning impossibly long. The skinny tail thickened and stretched, its sudden size shifting the sand as it grew. The neck shot up, his elongating head that had reached Alaska's chest a moment ago now several feet above her. But it was the wings that caught her attention; two jagged bones sprouted from the top of his back, pushing out and out and pulling the flesh as they did so, stretching out wider than his arms. It was only when they had reached their full length did the light stop, revealing a draconic being with glistening orange skin and sea-green wings where the Charmeleon had been a minute ago.
"ZAAAAAAARD!" Charizard roared with flames flying from his mouth. He arched his now massive back and tested his wings; the current created nearly sent Alaska tipping back to the water as she covered her face from the mini tornado of sand.
"YEAH BOY!" Damian leapt towards his starter and flung his arms around him, though they barely got around the big yellow stomach. Charizard, however, pulled him closer, clutching him with scaly arms topped by clawed fingers the size of Alaska's entire hand.
Alaska wanted to be happy for Damian. To watch your oldest Pokémon evolve is a magical sight, one she wished she could relive again under better circumstances. She could understand the happy tears falling down his face and longed for nothing more than to congratulate him and head on their way. But his joy could not distract her eyes from the discarded wrappers being blown across the beach and the anger it brought up in her throat.
"I was really starting to think you were different."
Charizard looked up, naturally angry eyes narrowing further, but Damian made no move to respond. He looked relaxed in Charizard's arms, a content smile on his face, one that simply made Alaska angrier.
"Fine. Once you're done with your little love session, you'll find us at One Island. Come on, Paige, let's get going."
"Different? How does this change anything?" Damian pulled away from the hug, his face still wet with tears, but even through his smug smile his frustration was laid bare.
"You just used a handful of Rare Candy to evolve your Pokémon. Only dicks who don't actually care about training cheat to evolve their Pokémon. It's the sort of thing some rich twat looking for a fancy pet would do – it's what Chloe would do."
"Low blow," Damian said, body quivering. "What else was I meant to do? You might want me to sit here for the rest of my life, but you need help if you are going to save our friends. If I have to use something I won on Indigo Dreams to do that, then so be it. It doesn't mean I'm the enemy."
"Just try not to do it again, okay? We don't need any more reminders of how royally that fucking vanity project has fucked everything up." Alaska tried to walk away, but even with Paige tensely watching her from the water's edge, she couldn't hold back the several days of frustration and disappointment that was racing to the surface. "You know, if it wasn't for that show, I wouldn't be in this mess. I'm not going to sit back and forget the role you played in enabling Buzz and Amanda's psycho dream project, even if you do think we are on the same side now – okay, what the fuck are you laughing about?"
Damian was sniggering into his hand; eyes alight with spiteful glee as his schoolboy chuckle rang out across the beach. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. I just can't believe you still think that's true."
"Think what's true?" Alaska said coldly.
"That this all happened because of the show. Alright, sure, there wouldn't be any robots or whatever, but your mad scientist friend would still be out there, you would have ended up in this prophecy one way or another. The only reason you left on your journey when you did was because one thing happened to spark your anger at that moment of time; if Indigo Dreams hadn't come along, something else would have worked you up."
"Oh wow, thanks for that Psych 101 lesson, professor."
"You know it's true!" Damian spluttered through his laughter. "I started following your blog the day we first met, and even back then it was clear you hated Red and Leaf. Probably half the reason you hate us is because we had a proper starter and you didn't."
"Gee!"
"Sorry, Paige but it's true. You think everyone's out to get you, but looking at your life, I have no idea what you are so mad about. Both your parents are still alive. They seem to like you enough to support you and not force their own desires on you. None of your Pokémon have died. Darwin may be screwed up, but it could be worse. He could have cancer or, I don't know, dementia."
"Dementia? Dementia? How is that the first thing you thought of?"
"Don't get snippy just cause I'm making a good point!"
"But dementia, seriously, is that the first idea you pulled out of your ars-"
"Team Rocket didn't win; they haven't taken over the world and forced us into some shitty dystopian society.
"How cliché that would be."
"That Cyrus bloke didn't shape the world in his image. There aren't monsters hunting you down. It's safe to go wandering the streets without Pokémon trying to eat you."
"Not yet, at least."
"Yes, the gods may be interfering in your life, but it's not like they are physically threatening you to do their bidding."
"Trying having six of them watch you battle."
"Given the shit you've pulled, things could be a lot worse. Just look at what you did at the power plant. You could have created an electric apocalypse if the people trying to help you survive hadn't saved your ass."
Alaska turned and glared at Damian. "Electric apocalypse? You've been watching too much trashy television."
"Stop trying to fight me," Damian said; he was smiling, but there was a bitterness in his tone. He walked around to Charizard's back and climbed on, his legs coming in just beneath the wing joints. "No matter what happened, Alaska, you were always going to get involved in this. Not because it's your destiny, but because you are so bloody angry. You're the one who chose to start a fight with Buzz and Amanda; not me, not Lochy, and definitely not Sandy. So maybe stop and consider that for a moment."
Charizard roared and flapped his wings, covering Alaska in sand once again. By the time the cloud had cleared, both trainer and Pokémon were in the air; Alaska turned and watched the orange figure get smaller and smaller.
"Bastard," she muttered, even though she knew deep down he was right. She walked back to Pidgeot, trying to ignoring the knowing look her Pidgeot wore. "Don't you start."
Paige chirped innocently but made no other comment, and Alaska remained in silence as they took off again, this time successfully. Very quickly, the temperature dropped and the wind battered her face. Alaska made sure her bag was secure before wrapping her hands around Paige's head crest and burying her face underneath.
If I had started this journey any earlier or later, Sandy would not be here. I had to start it then, didn't I? Over the top of Paige's back, Alaska watched the ocean pass by below, with nothing but blue for miles. Wherever you are, Sandy, we're coming for you. Just hang on. You won't be in hell much longer.
***
Birdsong rang out in the air. The smell of saltwater washed over her skin, which was being slowly warmed by the midday sun. It was all terribly peaceful, and Sandy hoped she didn't have to move. She felt so comfortable, the soft cushions under her aching body, moulded to her weight and shape. Despite her chaffing wrists and the general aches through her body, it all felt a lot like home.
"Sandy, you need to get up now."
"Five more minutes."
"Sandy, come on. I'm hungry and it's baking out here."
"Just go inside, gosh."
"We're on a beach in the middle of nowhere. There is no inside."
"What are you on about, mummy?"
"Mummy?"
"CHU!"
"AH!" Sandy bolted upright, arms flailing as a current ran through her body, and it was only because a firm pair of hands grabbed on to her that she didn't careen into the water. "Bloody hell, what was that?" She wheezed, clutching her chest.
"Chu!" A perky voice chirped, and Sandy felt a tugging on her shirt. Sitting next to her was a chubby, bright yellow Pokémon that seemed to be the living embodiment of a smile. With a geometric, lightning bolt tail and rosy red cheeks, it looked like something that belonged in a toy store, but Sandy knew he was hers.
"Oh my god, look at you!" She cried, pulling her Pikachu in close. "My big strong boy, aren't you just the cutest?"
"Pika!" Pikachu groaned, trying to pull away, but Sandy held on tighter.
"I don't care if you're embarrassed; you saved my life last night. You were astounding!"
"Gooo!"
"You as well!" Sandy said exasperatedly, scooping Goomy off the armrest and pulling her in close. "If it wasn't for you both, we'd still be on that boat. I can't thank you enough."
"To be fair, Wartortle's the one who really saved us."
Sandy swivelled on her cushion. She only gave the small beach a brief look over before her eyes fell on Lachlan. He was laying a few metres from the couch, his shirt and shorts drying out beside him so his chest was on display, only a few tufts of armpit hair disturbing the milky white canvas. Wartortle sat next to him, looking equally relaxed but with an added weariness that came from propelling a sofa over open waters all night long.
"I was getting to him!" Sandy snapped, trying not to gaze at his body. "Thank you, Wartortle, I am equally grateful that you didn't let us drown and brought us…. where are we?" She added, drawing her eyes from Lachlan and turning to the world beyond.
"Beats me," Lachlan said. He sat up and followed Sandy's gaze. "Your guess is as good as mine."
Sandy climbed over the back of the couch, both Pokémon still in hand, and walked to the top of the beach. The sand only went back a few metres before long, untamed grass started to push through the earth, a mere taster before the wide emerald path that lay beyond. A rough, orangey cliff face loomed imposingly over them and seemed to stretch on for the length of a city. On either side of that, Sandy could see a distant coastline to her right and a slope heading through a corridor of rock on her left. What lay beyond either of those, no signs or clues giving away the secret, leaving Sandy with the mere weight of their new situation.
"We're lost," she whispered.
"Got that right," Lachlan said, collapsing back into the sand. "Hopelessly bloody lost."
"We're alive, at least."
"There is that," he sighed.
Sandy's gaze turned to her companion. "How long have you been lying there? Did you think to go and find out where we were?"
"I wasn't going to abandon you while you were sleeping," Lachlan said.
"You could have woken me up."
Lachlan sighed and sat up again, stretching his shoulders as he did. "After the night we both had, I thought we could use the rest, Wartortle especially. But I realised this fatigue isn't just something he can sleep off, so I woke you up."
Sandy looked at the Water type; his arms and legs hung limply out of his shell, and even his wavy ears and tail seemed to be drooping. "Why didn't you give him a potion? Or food!"
Lachlan faced the ocean, cheeks blushing. "I didn't win that many challenges so I don't have that many medical supplies. And I don't have any Pokémon food left, and barely enough rations for us."
In a moment of blind rage, Sandy was tempted to give Lachlan a good kick up the arse, but the anger quickly passed. She looked at their surroundings, eyes darting between the couch slipping back into the surf to the seemingly barren landscape they had been washed up on. Her plan may have saved their lives, but without any supplies or any way to contact Alaska or a gym leader, they were stuck, and she couldn't blame him for feeling down.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped," Sandy said, sinking to the ground herself. "If we'd had time, we probably could have nicked some of Bertram's food. I can make a mean sandwich. Guess we'll have to find something here, wherever here is."
Lachlan said nothing, and Sandy was glad for the silence. If anything else was said, the weight of their situation would only get heavier. It was easier just to sit here and try to think of something else, like the sand. All her life Sandy had had this nickname, but so rarely had she actually been to a beach that she couldn't help rubbing her fingers through her namesake, not for the first time that week thinking back to her old life, the time before her mother had left. If she had stayed with them, would Sandy be on a different beach somewhere, enjoying a break from school, building sandcastles with her parents and Butterfree?
The silence stretched out for minutes, so long that Sandy was startled when Lachlan spoke again. "What do we do now?"
She looked away, trying to hide her tears. "I don't know, why are you asking me?"
Lachlan glared at her. "This was your plan! You're the one who got us to break free and float all the way here. Plus," he added, pausing for a moment as his scowl turned awkward, "you've been through this type of thing more than me. You must know what to do now."
Sandy saw the worry on his face and grabbed his hands, clutching them gently. "Don't worry, we'll be safe. Even if Amanda is still alive, who knows how much distance there is between all of us now. She won't be able to find us."
"Still, we should get moving." Lachlan looked at their hands for a moment before pulling away suddenly, blushing. "Come on, make a choice and I'll follow your lead."
"My lead?" Sandy stared into space as the words washed over her. My lead, she thought, slowly turning back to the unknown landscape. She looked left and right and back again, taking in the two paths they had been presented with. It was not much of a choice, but Lachlan was right; this would be her decision, this would be her moment. No Alaska, no Amanda, no gym leader. This was all down to her with no prophecies for guidance.
"My lead," she whispered, an unstoppable smile covering her face.
Chapter Ninety: How Far We'll Go
Before the blindfold had even been torn from her face, Alaska had to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun. "Fuck sake, some time to acclimatise would've been nice. Some of us still have eyes in our heads."
"Not for much longer if you keep that mouth running," Blaine growled. "What sort of hero are you if you can't even handle a bit of sunlight?"
"A blind one," Alaska spat back. She turned to the gym leader and shot him as powerful of a glare as she could while she tried to blink away the white smear burned into her eyes.
"You know he can't see that, right?"
Alaska rolled her anger-filled eyes at Damian. "Just because he can't experience my withering high beams right now doesn't mean I don't get the satisfaction of – OW!"
Blaine smirked as he led the way out of the rocky tunnel, twirling the cane he had just struck her with in his hands. "One final lesson for you, girl; the only true satisfaction of harming someone else is when you actually harm them."
"Wasn't that technically the first lesson?"
"Was it? I thought I'd spent the last day imparting all my earthly wisdom on you."
"No, you just made me think you hated me, laughed, and then hid in the shadows."
Blaine nodded. "I knew the first thing I said didn't sound right," he said with a throaty cackle, and he casually strolled down the thin bank of sand that constituted a beach on this frozen island, joyfully swinging his cane in his hands.
Alaska watched him with burning contempt. If this was happening a few weeks ago, she'd probably push him onto the jagged rocks that bordered them and watched as the waves crashed over him. But times had changed, and even if it was Blaine's fault she'd slept on the floor of a cave last night, she couldn't blame him for any of her current feelings.
Her journey through Seafoam had only lasted two nights, but it had left Alaska drained. She was enjoying the warmth of the sunlight after several days wandering through icy passages, but even as she limped away from Seafoam's caves, she couldn't escape the memory of what had happened down there: the reality stars, the ice in her lungs, fighting with Damian, warring with Amanda, Paige evolving, the river, fighting with Damian again, fighting with Paige, fucking Ponyta. It was a package holiday from hell – so much chaos in so little time, and she hadn't even received the continental breakfast.
If she had the choice, Alaska would find the nearest bed and crawl into it and not wake up until this was all over. The last few weeks since Saffron had been the most intense physical and emotional experience of her life, and the last decent sleep she'd had was when Scar nearly killed her.
Yet she couldn't stop now. Her eyes finally adjusted to the real world, Alaska realised how close they were to the ocean: cobalt water crashed rhythmically against the beach and the rocks around them, but beyond their little cove was simply nothing. She could see the clouds like melted steel reflected on the ocean's surface, but beyond that, the water simply went on forever and ever without any sign of life except a few birds flying overhead. Sandy was somewhere in all of this openness, if Amanda hadn't killed her yet. They had no reason to believe she was dead, and Alaska wouldn't entertain the thought until she had searched everywhere for her friend.
I've let you down too many times – I am not letting you down again. She held that thought at the front of her mind, and it was the only thing that kept Alaska standing on her bung leg, Hestia and Damian framing her as they watched Blaine hobbling about.
"Alright, let's get this over with before a passing cruise ship ruins my whole charade." Blaine stepped aside and pointed to the sand with his cane: seven x's were carved into the grains several feet apart in what looked like three separate clusters. The gym leader walked back to Alaska and made the eighth right in front of her, over a metre between it and the rest. "That is Seafoam. Those seven are the Sevii Islands. The last GPS records suggest Bertram's boat was heading towards the archipelago, but the signal faded before we could find out their destination. However, history would suggest they are going towards one of these two." Blaine pointed to the one closest before leaning and tapping the one furthest away. "One and Seven Island."
"Imaginative lot."
"Quiet!" Blaine barked before settling back into his teacherly persona. "When the authorities ordered Giovanni to disband Project Rocket, he had his army attack the Sevii Islands in order to split up the allied forces, though the main battle was fought on One Island. The town has rebuilt and there is a memorial there to the victims, so Amanda could go there for historical justice.
"However, Giovanni himself was based in Seven Island. His operations were housed in an abandoned tower just north of the main town. The gods destroyed it during the final onslaught, and the League attempted to cast away the memory of Rocket by building a battle facility, which Giovanni in turn destroyed. Now it's just a ruin, and I'd say it's safe to imagine Amanda has taken Sandy and Lachlan there. But they will need to go through all the other islands to reach it, and if they were to stop to refuel, it would be at One Island."
"So we're flying to that island first?" Alaska asked, and Blaine nodded. "Good, let's get going then."
"What, already?" Damian shrieked incredulously. "Are you planning on taking Amanda on alone?"
"I've done it before, I think I can handle her again," Alaska shot back as she retrieved a Poké Ball from her pocket.
"My memory may be a little foggy after falling into a freezing river, but didn't she come pretty close to shooting you in the face a few days ago?"
Alaska fired Damian her most withering look, but the reality star held his own, his backs straightened and hands clenched by his side. "She surprised me, I'll admit that, but I won't let that happen again. I may have made a mistake back in the cave, but so did Amanda – the bitch took the only person in the world I truly care about from me, and I will make sure she rues the day."
Blaine's croaky chuckle cut through the tension. "If we put a flaming collar around your neck, you would be a perfect addition to my gym."
Alaska ignored the jibe, focussing on her Poké Ball as she threw it towards the sand. The capsule burst open in the middle of Blaine's etchings and the red energy poured into the sky. With a triumphant squawk, Paige formed, her expansive wings shimmering in the light, and she began to soar in great, swooping circles above their heads. It was her first time in open air since evolving, and Alaska's heart warmed to watch her Pokémon making the most of her freedom, head crest trailing gloriously behind her. Yet her joy lasted mere moments before it was taken from her.
"What about Leaf and all of them? I thought you were working with them? Why are we not waiting for them?"
A little voice in the back of Alaska's head reminded her that Damian was on her side, but it was still a struggle not to kick him in the balls when she turned to him. "And what will happen in the time it takes them to get there? I am not risking Amanda killing my best friend. If Leaf and her lot have read my blog, which they probably get before I've even finished writing it, they will know what is happening and will be making their own decisions. If they choose to help us, they will, but I can't wait for them to make their minds up."
"You must consider, Damian, that this could be part of Amanda's plan," Hestia said, resting a furry hand on the boy's shoulder. "She might be using Sandy to try and lure the gym leaders into a trap, and that would only make this whole situation a lot worse."
Damian didn't meet the Delphox in the eye, his sullen face instead staring out to sea, but he nodded briefly and Alaska sighed with relief; he may be coming to this late, but Damian at least showed a few signs he understood the gravity of the situation.
"You two could come with us, though. Amanda won't see that coming."
Blaine smirked. "Thanks for the offer, boy-o, but I don't fancy myself getting caught up in whatever fiery plans your associate here has for the producer."
"Oh Blaine, are you flirting with me?" Alaska said, winking as she blew an air kiss.
Blaine shook his head. "Don't make me sick."
"So are you just going to stay here then and let us do all the dirty work?" Damian asked, his lips pursed.
"Weren't you listening last night, kid?" Blaine snapped. "I'm on your side, but that doesn't mean I am going to throw myself head first into your little war. I've set up a nice little life for myself here and I am not sacrificing any of that just yet. Now that I know Alaska is up to this task, I need more information and I can't find any of it here."
"No shit, it's a cave," Alaska said.
"It's more the fact I am purposefully not connected to all the central mainframes," Blaine replied caustically. "The world of Pokémon is connected by multiple computer networks; the PC system, league databases, the global trading system, and those are just the biggest ones. I haven't logged in to any of my accounts since 2008, and there are resources I'll need to bring me up to speed. But there are also a number of files and programs that even Red and Oak won't have access to, and that's mostly because they are all buried beneath several layers of volcanic rock."
Alaska glanced to her left. "You mean they are on Cinnabar?"
"Yes, Cinnabar," Blaine said, grabbing Alaska's head and tilting it to her right. "Everything that's happened to Kanto in the last few years all started on Cinnabar: the Rocket Group, Project M2, Missingno and all his mad ideas. Gideon and I were both there at the very beginning alongside Giovanni. It could be a long shot, but if there are any clues out there saying what Gideon is up to, they'll be there."
"Well, as long as I'm not the one who has to go to that melted shithole, I'm happy."
Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? And how do you expect to get your Volcano Badge?" His cracked lips spread open in a yellow-toothed grin as Alaska's face went slack. "What, did you think you were going to complete your last two precious steps in Johto?"
Alaska crossed her arms and straightened her back. "Who says I want to battle you? I could hop on a train to Goldenrod anytime I want and finish this all off there."
"And face Whitney's Miltank? On your training regime?" Blaine snorted. "Bitch, please, you need to get your priorities in order. No, you and I will face off once you have found your friend. Meet me on Cinnabar Island – Hestia will know when you are approaching – and we will battle. Four on four. No spectators. Does that work for you?"
"I guess," Alaska said, shrugging. She didn't think she had any space left in her brain to start thinking about a new battle strategy, but she was pleased for the challenge. "Am I going to remember this match? I should feel honoured."
"You should," Blaine sneered, stepping forwards so his bald, eyeless head loomed over her. Alaska refused to let her guard down and stood firmly, and after a few moments the sneer twisted into a smirk. "You've down some good work out there, girl. Don't let anybody tell you any different. The whole thing with Giovanni might have gone a lot differently if Red and Leaf had found their spines a little earlier. I hope you find your friend, and I hope you end this war your way."
"Wow, thanks… um, I don't know what to say." Alaska looked to Damian and Hestia for advice, but they both seemed just as taken aback by Blaine's kindness as she was.
"In fact, I've got a gift for you." Blaine reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag, a single Poké Ball sitting inside. "I may be out of the system, but that doesn't mean I am entirely useless. I wiped the ID on this last night so the ownership is currently blank. Once you've touched it, it will register your fingerprint and it will be yours."
"Fuck me, are you serious?" Alaska pulled the capsule out before she got an answer. The white half lit up blue before the button flashed red, and Alaska knew it was hers. A new Pokémon, a Fire type at that. She longed to know what it was, and catching Blaine's proud smile, Alaska rolled it onto the ground.
"Thank you, I can't tell you how much this means to me. I wouldn't say I hate the other gym leaders, but it was difficult with them, but with you it's – oh, fuck you, you old prick!"
Blaine's laughter erupted across the beach, making the Ponyta jump in fright, blue flames shaking violently. The Fire type looked down at the ball it had come out of and traced it back to Alaska, and Alaska could see her own expression reflected in the horse's bulging face.
"NYYYYY!" Ponyta reared her head and turned towards Blaine, but the gym leader stepped backwards.
"No, no, no, you're with her now." He smiled at his former Pokémon, his grin the opposite of the thin grimace across her face. "Oh come now, why the long face?"
"I thought you said this was a gift."
"It is. Doesn't mean it has to be a good one," Blaine sniggered.
"This bitch hates me though. What am I supposed to do with her?"
"Learn something, for one," Blaine replied, grinning malevolently. "And secondly, if you are going to search seven islands for a psychopathic producer, you will need some transport, and she might learn something from that."
"What is she going to teach me, math?"
"She could probably give you some geography lessons," Damian said.
"I think you already know the answer, girl. Besides, didn't you mother teach you not to look a gift horse in the mouth – BAHAHAHAHA!" Blaine slapped his leg before turning back to the cave mouth, cane twirling in one hand and the other linking around Hestia's arm. The Delphox looked back apologetically, but even her wise face was struggling not to laugh, and the pair stepped back into the cave and disappeared into the darkness, only Blaine's echoing cackle remaining.
Alaska watched the mouth long after the two had disappeared, struggling to decide if she was angry or amused. She could certainly see the joke in all this, but having a slot on her team taken up with a smug, moody horse was about the last thing she needed right now. She picked up the Poké Ball and turned back to the Ponyta; she was watching her distrustfully, a snooty sneer across its sparkling yellow fur.
"Well, if we're stuck together, we might as well find some way to get along." Alaska stepped forward, but the Ponyta turned around, making a noise that sounded awfully like a 'humph'. "Well then," Alaska said testily, "I suppose we better leave it there for now…. Bluebell."
Ponyta's jaw dropped, but she dissipated into red light before the weight of her nickname could settle in. Alaska stared at the ball, her fingers white as she gripped it; she had an idea what Blaine was getting at, but it would be a long time before she would appreciate this. Sighing, she swivelled to face the ocean and found Damian and Paige standing behind her, both biting their lips. "Something funny?" She asked thinly.
"Nope," Damian said unconvincingly.
"Gee," Paige added, her eyes watering above her quivering smile.
Alaska chose to take the high ground and pushed her anger aside. She met Paige's eyes and pointed towards the makeshift map. "We're heading to the Sevii Islands, which is that way," she said, pointing the right way this time. "It's going to be a long way away, are you up for that?"
Paige stretched her wings to their full length and nodded. The scar from the bullet was basically visible, a thin tawny line of bulbous flesh hidden buried within the feathers. Alaska brushed her fingers against it and Paige didn't flinch, simply watching her trainer with stern but kindly eyes that warmed Alaska to her core.
"Alright, let's do this." Alaska hoisted her bag up her back and gestured at Paige, who lowered her chest to the ground.
"Wait, do you actually know where you are going?" Damian said. "Don't you want to look it up on my Pokédex; there is a map on that."
"There is nothing around Sevii except ocean and a fuckton of Magikarp. I am pretty sure we'll be fine."
Damian rolled his eyes but didn't say another word, which was exactly how Alaska liked him. She climbed onto Paige's back, resting her bunched up legs in the folds below the Pidgeot's neck where back met wing. Damian climbed on behind her, his weight making Paige shift and causing Alaska to slid backwards, her neck hitting his face.
"Well, isn't this romantic."
"If you say so," Damian said stiffly.
Alaska laughed as tapped Paige's neck. "Let's go find our friend!"
"PIDGEEEE!" Paige squawked. She began vigorously flapping her wings, creating a small cloud of sand that battered Alaska and Damian. The Pidgeot then sprinted towards the end of the beach, her wings outstretched, and she launched into the air.
Alaska didn't notice the water until it was too late; her mind was already in Sevii, wondering where Sandy would be, and it only returned to her body when it was plunged into the cold southern seas. Alaska cried out in shock, bubbles flying from her mouth, and she flailed until she got hold of Paige's damp neck.
"FUCK!" The shout breached the water before Alaska did, echoing over their tiny little cove. Using Paige's headcrest as a rope, she hauled herself onto her back. "What the hell happened?"
"Pidgey Pidge Eot Geee!" Paige squawked back. She waddled backwards onto the sand and then tilted backwards, throwing both humans back onto the sand.
"What's wrong with her?" Damian spluttered, brushing sodden clumps of blond hair out of his eyes but only succeeding in smearing sand across his face.
"She said you're too fat." Alaska could feel Damian scowling at her but didn't care. She needed to let off some steam. They may have landed on sand, but the fall had been jarring, sending renewed spasms down her leg. Sandy probably has it a lot worse, her small voice in her head pointed out, and Alaska knew it had a point.
"Well, clearly Paige can't carry both of us." Alaska looked at Paige for confirmation, and the Flying type nodded curtly back. "Well, I don't know what to do now. Can you ride Gyarados?"
Damian shook his head. "Not for that distance. Gyarados skin is too rough for long journeys. Plus they fly like they are swimming, basically shaking their bodies like an Ekans through grass. It'd be a struggle to hang on."
"Well, we could leave you here…" Alaska said, earning a feathery thump around the head from Paige.
"Don't worry, I've got an idea." Damian pulled out a Poké Ball and pressed the button; red light poured out and revealed a rejuvenated Charmeleon, whose sullen face got darker as he saw their wet clothes.
"I don't think he's going to be much use on water."
Damian ignored her as he pulled out what appeared to be several small lollies and slid towards his Pokémon. "I know we wanted to do this the proper way, but we've got to move things along if we want to save Lochy. It's not ideal and I'm not giving you any time to think about it, but do you think you're ready?"
Alaska had no idea what Damian was on about, but Charmeleon did; with a wide grin made entirely of sharp teeth, he grabbed the candies without question. Sharp claws tore through the foil wrapping, revealing hard blue balls that the Fire type swallowed whole.
"I'd step back if I was you," Damian said, his eyes shining with glee.
Alaska did as suggested, even if she didn't know why, but a second later Charmeleon began to glow and everything made sense. They all watched as the Flame Pokémon doubled in size, arms and legs that were the length of a small child's quickly turning impossibly long. The skinny tail thickened and stretched, its sudden size shifting the sand as it grew. The neck shot up, his elongating head that had reached Alaska's chest a moment ago now several feet above her. But it was the wings that caught her attention; two jagged bones sprouted from the top of his back, pushing out and out and pulling the flesh as they did so, stretching out wider than his arms. It was only when they had reached their full length did the light stop, revealing a draconic being with glistening orange skin and sea-green wings where the Charmeleon had been a minute ago.
"ZAAAAAAARD!" Charizard roared with flames flying from his mouth. He arched his now massive back and tested his wings; the current created nearly sent Alaska tipping back to the water as she covered her face from the mini tornado of sand.
"YEAH BOY!" Damian leapt towards his starter and flung his arms around him, though they barely got around the big yellow stomach. Charizard, however, pulled him closer, clutching him with scaly arms topped by clawed fingers the size of Alaska's entire hand.
Alaska wanted to be happy for Damian. To watch your oldest Pokémon evolve is a magical sight, one she wished she could relive again under better circumstances. She could understand the happy tears falling down his face and longed for nothing more than to congratulate him and head on their way. But his joy could not distract her eyes from the discarded wrappers being blown across the beach and the anger it brought up in her throat.
"I was really starting to think you were different."
Charizard looked up, naturally angry eyes narrowing further, but Damian made no move to respond. He looked relaxed in Charizard's arms, a content smile on his face, one that simply made Alaska angrier.
"Fine. Once you're done with your little love session, you'll find us at One Island. Come on, Paige, let's get going."
"Different? How does this change anything?" Damian pulled away from the hug, his face still wet with tears, but even through his smug smile his frustration was laid bare.
"You just used a handful of Rare Candy to evolve your Pokémon. Only dicks who don't actually care about training cheat to evolve their Pokémon. It's the sort of thing some rich twat looking for a fancy pet would do – it's what Chloe would do."
"Low blow," Damian said, body quivering. "What else was I meant to do? You might want me to sit here for the rest of my life, but you need help if you are going to save our friends. If I have to use something I won on Indigo Dreams to do that, then so be it. It doesn't mean I'm the enemy."
"Just try not to do it again, okay? We don't need any more reminders of how royally that fucking vanity project has fucked everything up." Alaska tried to walk away, but even with Paige tensely watching her from the water's edge, she couldn't hold back the several days of frustration and disappointment that was racing to the surface. "You know, if it wasn't for that show, I wouldn't be in this mess. I'm not going to sit back and forget the role you played in enabling Buzz and Amanda's psycho dream project, even if you do think we are on the same side now – okay, what the fuck are you laughing about?"
Damian was sniggering into his hand; eyes alight with spiteful glee as his schoolboy chuckle rang out across the beach. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. I just can't believe you still think that's true."
"Think what's true?" Alaska said coldly.
"That this all happened because of the show. Alright, sure, there wouldn't be any robots or whatever, but your mad scientist friend would still be out there, you would have ended up in this prophecy one way or another. The only reason you left on your journey when you did was because one thing happened to spark your anger at that moment of time; if Indigo Dreams hadn't come along, something else would have worked you up."
"Oh wow, thanks for that Psych 101 lesson, professor."
"You know it's true!" Damian spluttered through his laughter. "I started following your blog the day we first met, and even back then it was clear you hated Red and Leaf. Probably half the reason you hate us is because we had a proper starter and you didn't."
"Gee!"
"Sorry, Paige but it's true. You think everyone's out to get you, but looking at your life, I have no idea what you are so mad about. Both your parents are still alive. They seem to like you enough to support you and not force their own desires on you. None of your Pokémon have died. Darwin may be screwed up, but it could be worse. He could have cancer or, I don't know, dementia."
"Dementia? Dementia? How is that the first thing you thought of?"
"Don't get snippy just cause I'm making a good point!"
"But dementia, seriously, is that the first idea you pulled out of your ars-"
"Team Rocket didn't win; they haven't taken over the world and forced us into some shitty dystopian society.
"How cliché that would be."
"That Cyrus bloke didn't shape the world in his image. There aren't monsters hunting you down. It's safe to go wandering the streets without Pokémon trying to eat you."
"Not yet, at least."
"Yes, the gods may be interfering in your life, but it's not like they are physically threatening you to do their bidding."
"Trying having six of them watch you battle."
"Given the shit you've pulled, things could be a lot worse. Just look at what you did at the power plant. You could have created an electric apocalypse if the people trying to help you survive hadn't saved your ass."
Alaska turned and glared at Damian. "Electric apocalypse? You've been watching too much trashy television."
"Stop trying to fight me," Damian said; he was smiling, but there was a bitterness in his tone. He walked around to Charizard's back and climbed on, his legs coming in just beneath the wing joints. "No matter what happened, Alaska, you were always going to get involved in this. Not because it's your destiny, but because you are so bloody angry. You're the one who chose to start a fight with Buzz and Amanda; not me, not Lochy, and definitely not Sandy. So maybe stop and consider that for a moment."
Charizard roared and flapped his wings, covering Alaska in sand once again. By the time the cloud had cleared, both trainer and Pokémon were in the air; Alaska turned and watched the orange figure get smaller and smaller.
"Bastard," she muttered, even though she knew deep down he was right. She walked back to Pidgeot, trying to ignoring the knowing look her Pidgeot wore. "Don't you start."
Paige chirped innocently but made no other comment, and Alaska remained in silence as they took off again, this time successfully. Very quickly, the temperature dropped and the wind battered her face. Alaska made sure her bag was secure before wrapping her hands around Paige's head crest and burying her face underneath.
If I had started this journey any earlier or later, Sandy would not be here. I had to start it then, didn't I? Over the top of Paige's back, Alaska watched the ocean pass by below, with nothing but blue for miles. Wherever you are, Sandy, we're coming for you. Just hang on. You won't be in hell much longer.
***
Birdsong rang out in the air. The smell of saltwater washed over her skin, which was being slowly warmed by the midday sun. It was all terribly peaceful, and Sandy hoped she didn't have to move. She felt so comfortable, the soft cushions under her aching body, moulded to her weight and shape. Despite her chaffing wrists and the general aches through her body, it all felt a lot like home.
"Sandy, you need to get up now."
"Five more minutes."
"Sandy, come on. I'm hungry and it's baking out here."
"Just go inside, gosh."
"We're on a beach in the middle of nowhere. There is no inside."
"What are you on about, mummy?"
"Mummy?"
"CHU!"
"AH!" Sandy bolted upright, arms flailing as a current ran through her body, and it was only because a firm pair of hands grabbed on to her that she didn't careen into the water. "Bloody hell, what was that?" She wheezed, clutching her chest.
"Chu!" A perky voice chirped, and Sandy felt a tugging on her shirt. Sitting next to her was a chubby, bright yellow Pokémon that seemed to be the living embodiment of a smile. With a geometric, lightning bolt tail and rosy red cheeks, it looked like something that belonged in a toy store, but Sandy knew he was hers.
"Oh my god, look at you!" She cried, pulling her Pikachu in close. "My big strong boy, aren't you just the cutest?"
"Pika!" Pikachu groaned, trying to pull away, but Sandy held on tighter.
"I don't care if you're embarrassed; you saved my life last night. You were astounding!"
"Gooo!"
"You as well!" Sandy said exasperatedly, scooping Goomy off the armrest and pulling her in close. "If it wasn't for you both, we'd still be on that boat. I can't thank you enough."
"To be fair, Wartortle's the one who really saved us."
Sandy swivelled on her cushion. She only gave the small beach a brief look over before her eyes fell on Lachlan. He was laying a few metres from the couch, his shirt and shorts drying out beside him so his chest was on display, only a few tufts of armpit hair disturbing the milky white canvas. Wartortle sat next to him, looking equally relaxed but with an added weariness that came from propelling a sofa over open waters all night long.
"I was getting to him!" Sandy snapped, trying not to gaze at his body. "Thank you, Wartortle, I am equally grateful that you didn't let us drown and brought us…. where are we?" She added, drawing her eyes from Lachlan and turning to the world beyond.
"Beats me," Lachlan said. He sat up and followed Sandy's gaze. "Your guess is as good as mine."
Sandy climbed over the back of the couch, both Pokémon still in hand, and walked to the top of the beach. The sand only went back a few metres before long, untamed grass started to push through the earth, a mere taster before the wide emerald path that lay beyond. A rough, orangey cliff face loomed imposingly over them and seemed to stretch on for the length of a city. On either side of that, Sandy could see a distant coastline to her right and a slope heading through a corridor of rock on her left. What lay beyond either of those, no signs or clues giving away the secret, leaving Sandy with the mere weight of their new situation.
"We're lost," she whispered.
"Got that right," Lachlan said, collapsing back into the sand. "Hopelessly bloody lost."
"We're alive, at least."
"There is that," he sighed.
Sandy's gaze turned to her companion. "How long have you been lying there? Did you think to go and find out where we were?"
"I wasn't going to abandon you while you were sleeping," Lachlan said.
"You could have woken me up."
Lachlan sighed and sat up again, stretching his shoulders as he did. "After the night we both had, I thought we could use the rest, Wartortle especially. But I realised this fatigue isn't just something he can sleep off, so I woke you up."
Sandy looked at the Water type; his arms and legs hung limply out of his shell, and even his wavy ears and tail seemed to be drooping. "Why didn't you give him a potion? Or food!"
Lachlan faced the ocean, cheeks blushing. "I didn't win that many challenges so I don't have that many medical supplies. And I don't have any Pokémon food left, and barely enough rations for us."
In a moment of blind rage, Sandy was tempted to give Lachlan a good kick up the arse, but the anger quickly passed. She looked at their surroundings, eyes darting between the couch slipping back into the surf to the seemingly barren landscape they had been washed up on. Her plan may have saved their lives, but without any supplies or any way to contact Alaska or a gym leader, they were stuck, and she couldn't blame him for feeling down.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped," Sandy said, sinking to the ground herself. "If we'd had time, we probably could have nicked some of Bertram's food. I can make a mean sandwich. Guess we'll have to find something here, wherever here is."
Lachlan said nothing, and Sandy was glad for the silence. If anything else was said, the weight of their situation would only get heavier. It was easier just to sit here and try to think of something else, like the sand. All her life Sandy had had this nickname, but so rarely had she actually been to a beach that she couldn't help rubbing her fingers through her namesake, not for the first time that week thinking back to her old life, the time before her mother had left. If she had stayed with them, would Sandy be on a different beach somewhere, enjoying a break from school, building sandcastles with her parents and Butterfree?
The silence stretched out for minutes, so long that Sandy was startled when Lachlan spoke again. "What do we do now?"
She looked away, trying to hide her tears. "I don't know, why are you asking me?"
Lachlan glared at her. "This was your plan! You're the one who got us to break free and float all the way here. Plus," he added, pausing for a moment as his scowl turned awkward, "you've been through this type of thing more than me. You must know what to do now."
Sandy saw the worry on his face and grabbed his hands, clutching them gently. "Don't worry, we'll be safe. Even if Amanda is still alive, who knows how much distance there is between all of us now. She won't be able to find us."
"Still, we should get moving." Lachlan looked at their hands for a moment before pulling away suddenly, blushing. "Come on, make a choice and I'll follow your lead."
"My lead?" Sandy stared into space as the words washed over her. My lead, she thought, slowly turning back to the unknown landscape. She looked left and right and back again, taking in the two paths they had been presented with. It was not much of a choice, but Lachlan was right; this would be her decision, this would be her moment. No Alaska, no Amanda, no gym leader. This was all down to her with no prophecies for guidance.
"My lead," she whispered, an unstoppable smile covering her face.
