Chapter 6 - Marooned

The current was strong, and Celeste felt herself tumbling in the cold ocean water. By some stroke of luck, Aria managed to cling onto her shoulder, thank Arceus. They both attempted to swim with large, desperate strokes, hindered by the now thoroughly soaked cast. They desperately needed something to hold onto. On their own, they were in real trouble.

Wasn’t there a lifeboat that went overboard with them?

Celeste stopped to look around, trying to remain as calm as possible while the ocean swept her along. She couldn’t spot the lifeboat, but something brushed against her head and began to entangle in her hair. She thought it was seaweed at first, but then some netting came floating around way too peacefully for that storm. When she looked up, the Seel was sticking its tongue at her.

A poorly thought out gasp led to a mouthful of seawater and the loss of the precious air she was conserving. Well, she had wanted to see a Seel up close. It wore some kind of collar with blinking lights, Celeste noticed, before deciding this wasn’t the time for noticing anything. Quickly, she grabbed hold of the net. Even underwater, her weight caused it to sway, and it took everything she had to maintain her grip.

She pulled herself up and when she crossed the surface, it was for air that she gasped. Before the next wave could engulf her, Celeste saw the net was stuck near the ferry’s propeller blades, which was dangerous to everyone inside, but most of all, for the ones hanging on to it—namely, her, Aria and the Seel. Underwater again, Celeste made a gesture for her Eevee to cut down the net. She tried gnawing at it first, but with little effect. Swift was the next attempt, and Celeste, thinking quickly, held tight to Aria as she executed the move. Free-floating like they were, the move’s recoil sent them jetting a few feet away.

Away from the net, away from the Seel... and away from the ferry.

Celeste had about three seconds of sheer panic thinking being left behind before another wave dragged her down. She tightened her grip on Aria, wondering if anyone even saw them fall overboard. No one is watching the deck, the first mate had told Delia…

Delia!?

Where was she?

Celeste struggled. Maybe towards the ferry? She felt dizzy, disoriented. Was Delia gone? The water was dark and frigid. Delia had a Shellder; she should be okay, probably back on the ferry, looking for help. Celeste found herself tumbling once more. Then again. Could a seashell outmatch a storm?

Aria bit her hand, bringing her trainer back to reality. Celeste’s eyes widened in objection. Another bite. Something was coming their way, and Aria was alerting her. She kicked with her legs, attempting to flee. Did they stand a chance? She halted, contemplating if her energy was better spent fighting. Again, did they stand a chance? She strained her eyes. Blinking lights were approaching.

Seel?

Right! Aria’s stars cut down the net.

The Water-Type sliced through the water, unaffected by the current or storm. Reaching them, it swirled around Celeste playfully, emitting a whistle. Adorable, but really not the time. After getting Aria back onto her shoulders, Celeste caught the Seel’s attention. She touched its fin and gestured upwards.

There was a second of doubt, followed by the weird sound barks have underwater. The Seel stilled itself, allowing Celeste to grab on. Moments later, she was zooming towards the surface and skidding against towering storm waves. As soon as there was air back in her lungs, she began laughing. Aria did, too.

They might not make it. But at least they’d go out laughing.

The storm raged on and the water felt crisp. Thunder clapped in the distance, and the ferry was nowhere in sight. Yet, every time the Seel rode a wave, lifting them high into the air, it felt like they were flying.

As a particularly tall wave rose, Celeste braced herself. Like before, they glided over the wave’s crest, and as they reached the peak, she saw it—the tarp from the lifeboat fluttering in the wind. They plunged back down before she could get a better look, but the way it twisted close to the water, rather than freely in the wind, suggested it was still attached to the lifeboat. And if the lifeboat was nearby...

Delia could be there!

Leaning close to the Seel, she adjusted her position to ensure she still had a firm grip. “That way.” She nodded forward. “Can you take us that way?”

—*——*—

Seel are a playful bunch, but not the very best in following commands.

It took a moment for their new buddy to catch on that Celeste and Aria were done playing. When it finally got the message, it just stopped in its tracks, floating aimlessly with a look of utter disappointment. Its tongue lolled out, and its eyes held such a sad glimmer that Celeste’s heart gave a little squeeze. Five more minutes, she bargained internally, ignoring that they were in the middle of a crisis. Aria was having none of it, and she was ready to bite again if needed.

Gently, she nudged the Water-Type, feeling the sleekness of its fur beneath her pruney fingers. Clinging to it was a challenge with her cast, so she wrapped both arms around it, careful not to hinder its swimming. Noticing the Seel wince when she touched its neck, Celeste saw the collar was too tight, marked with scratches. She wouldn’t be able to examine it from their current position, but…

“We can help you get it off,” he offered, securing her grip with her less injured arm and tapping the collar with her other. “And after that, we can play tons. Tell…” she squinted. “Tell him, Aria.”

The Eevee caught on to what Celeste wanted and yipped excitedly. Seel seemed to perk up at the promise of playtime, and when the next wave approached, he forwent the surfing entirely, cutting through it like a spinning drill.

If she wasn’t underwater, Celeste would scream. As they broke the surface, she started, “You’ve gotta get us to the lifebo—” but they plunged into another wave before she could finish. And then another... and another.

Seel was having the time of his life, Celeste realised. She tried to speak again, but her words were interspersed with gasps for air. And then… they were right next to the lifeboat, with their ride Pokémon clapping his flippers together in glee.

Celeste wanted to laugh, relief washing over her, but they weren’t safe yet.

The lifeboat was tossing like crazy, water splashing inside and outside just as much. The tarp that had been covering it was now partially undone, exposing the bright orange rubber beneath. With the way the tarp was attached, the wind lifted it, turning it into a makeshift sail that pulled the boat further away. It might have capsized already if Delia, alive and a complete mess, wasn’t inside. She desperately wrestled the tarp, trying to tuck it away while her Shellder, tethered to the boat’s side, helped stabilise it with water moves.

Shellder was the first to spot them, her cry not so much a warning to Delia but an alarm for Celeste and her team about a monstrous wave building beside them.

There was a stillness in the air, then. As if the storm had calmed only to witness that growing wave. Only there’d be no wave without a storm, and this one was wider than any Celeste had ever seen, complete with blue fins protruding from its sides.

They were in trouble.

“Wailord!” she shouted, noticing water already funnelling down to its gaping maw. There was no need for warnings, though. Seel, driven by instinct, was already darting away, luckily towards the boat.

By now, Delia had spotted them, dropping the tarp and throwing more rope towards Celeste. Same plan then. Aria caught the rope in her mouth, and Seel grunted as the sudden tug from the boat pulled them all backward.

With the rope still clutched in her teeth, Aria left Celeste’s shoulders, springing into her arms, right behind Seel. Celeste took the rope from Aria, and together, they managed to secure it around Seel’s body.

“We need you to pull us all away!” Celeste hoped her plea would be enough.

Seel glimmered with a bluish energy and Celeste felt water churn with power beneath her. He was about to use some move. Without a second thought, she aimed towards the lifeboat and let go just as Seel surged forward, the rope still tethered to him. She grabbed onto the lifeboat in the nick of time, Delia’s steady hand pulling her and Aria aboard.

Whit a loud click, the Wailord behind them snapped its jaws shut, diving back into the depths.

The waters slowly calmed.

Celeste gasped for air, whispering, “Is it ove—”

Before she could finish, the colossal whale jumped, only a few feet away from them.

And it was majestic.

As if the world was slow-motion, Celeste fell on her back, watching the largest of beings take up to the skies as if it was light as a Tynamo. Bathed in the light of the clearing skies, its skin shimmered a deep blue, and its call echoed louder than the fading storm. It hovered for a moment, perhaps enjoying the sensation of flying just as much as Celeste had minutes ago, and then it splashed back down, bringing the world back into full motion.

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When it was over, they found themselves in dark, yet peaceful waters, with some timid rays of sun peering through the thinning clouds.

—*——*—

“Hey, look at the Wingull up there!” Celeste pointed skyward.

Next to her, Delia was meticulously folding their tarp, while Aria, perched on the lifeboat’s bow, barked orders to the Shellder and the Seel pulling them along. Mostly the Seel. Shellder wasn’t that good with towing a boat.

“Yeah, I’m sure they’re pretty.” Delia’s response came with little enthusiasm as she continued her task, her fingers tracing the tarp’s edge before carefully aligning the corners. Celeste knew that she would continue by dividing the next fold in four and once she was done and had a perfect square, she’d scrutinise it and say it wasn’t good enough. Then she’d undo the entire thing and start again. This was her sixth time so far.

“They are,” Celeste sprung up and wobbled toward Aria. “But birds mean land, right? The day is ending and these guys have to sleep somewhere.”

That made Delia stop. Or maybe the sixth time was the charm.

“That... actually makes sense,” she admitted, slowly.

Celeste snorted, “Of course it does,” but Delia remained unimpressed with her.

Her new travelling companion, surprisingly, didn’t blame her for the situation they were in. They were both at fault for what happened. However, once the seas finally calmed, and they had a moment to breathe, Delia began to worry about supplies, while Celeste lamented the loss of her backpack. That led her on a rant about the very cool camping gear she’d got. Yes, Surge got rid of most, but she had this heating thing that—well, as Delia had been very vocal about, “It didn’t matter” because they needed to focus on finding “food and land” and not ramble about “stuff”.

“Want to pass along the new heading?” Celeste plopped down next to Aria, nodding towards the Wingull.

The Eevee barked and wagged her tail, signalling their course correction to follow the birds. Meanwhile, Celeste watched the other Pokémon. Delia’s Shellder, Shelly, wasn’t much help, trailing behind, but Seel jumped up and down the water, treating the towing task as a game.

Ah, that Seel.

He and Aria will be best friends by evening, Celeste mused. Her Eevee will be the leader of their gang and will lead him into all sorts of mischief that would make Celeste cry with laughter. She’d then introduce him to Powder. Those two would be like siblings. They will share the Ice-Typing (once he evolves), and he would teach her all kinds of stuff. About ice and moves and the world.

Celeste just needs to catch—

“Look!” Delia interrupted her thoughts.

Above, the few Wingull they’d been tracking converged with a larger flock. Blue striped feathers fell from the sky as some plunged into the water to turn some unknowingly fish into dinner. The sound of their squeaking became melody, as ruffling palm trees sprouted into view.

Finally, land was in sight.

—*—-*—

Reaching the shore took longer than expected. The sun was setting in the now clear skies and a gentle breeze ruffled Celeste’s still damp hair. Stepping in the sand felt good. During the storm, she never thought about removing her boots, but now she craved the feeling of land on skin. Fine and white, the beach felt soft under Celeste’s her bare feet.

She looked around, only half realising Delia wanted her help to secure their lifeboat. They were in a very small islet, with a few dozen palm trees scattered around and Krabby picking up seashells and burrowing down on the sand. Some Wingull perched in the surrounding trees, while others continued on their way to similar other Islets nearby.

“Cee,” Delia called. For a moment Celeste thought she was showing her something, and then it downed that the nickname she’d come up was quite awkward. “See Cee, you need to think these things through”, she imagined her mother telling her. To her parents—and to most of the world—she was Celly, but she didn’t want to be Celly anymore. “Cee!” Delia called again, motioning towards the boat.

Apologising with a shy grin, Celeste joined Delia, and together they dragged the lifeboat up the shore, safeguarding it against the unknown tides. Only then did Delia stop to take in the view.

Breathing in the fresh salty air, with the golden sunlight casting long shadows from her heels, Celeste couldn’t help but marvel, “This place is beautiful, isn’t it? Like a secret paradise.”

Her companion’s expression turned dark. “A paradise we’re stranded in.”

Celeste found no witty retort, no light-hearted banter to ease the tension. Marooned and lost. Maybe it was the time for being sombre.

That moment was promptly interrupted by Seel and Aria bounding over. The Eevee giggled conspicuously while the Seel carried a big seashell in his mouth. Celeste could see the small Caterpie inside, of course, but played along anyway. Both Pokémon rolled out in laughter when the bug began crawling on her arm and she threw herself on the floor dramatically. Even Shelly, who was near a rock on the back, laughed.

Maybe it wasn’t the time for being sombre.

Delia’s lips curled into a slight smile as Celeste rose back up. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Enjoying the moment while we can,” Celeste answered, brushing sand from her clothes. “You know what it’s like, a minute you are eating rice cakes, the next, dodging rocks from a Golem, and then… BAM! You find yourself in a breathtaking paradise, but turns out you’re stranded.”

Delia frowned. “A… Golem? I don’t… is that how you got the cast?”

Celeste shrugged, waving the soggy thing around her wrist. “Yeah, it’s like the saying goes. Life’s an Electrode.”

“Life is... an Electrode?”

“Always ready to blow up in your face.”

—*——*—

Using the last moments of light in the day to guide her, Celeste hammered Chucky’s collar with a rock. Chucky being the name she gave to the amazing Seel who was about to join her team.

Chucky the Seel. It fit.

She cursed after another bump, warranting a look from Delia. She expected a scolding for the language, but Delia simply returned to her task of preparing their dinner: fruit and berry salad, with a side of energy bar… Yummy…

She studied her rock again. It was the pointiest she could find, and she’d figured that by hitting the point side on the hinges of the collar would break Seel free. It was the rock that broke. Pointy end snapped.

Seel—Chucky—glanced worryingly at Celeste, but she smiled back at him. “Don’t worry, buddy. I promised to get this thing off you, and I will. I got another plan. Aria…?”

She’d tried to understand the collar as best she could. It wasn’t a normal one, with a tag, like trainers would often put in their Pokémon, but some sort of device. It was partially damaged, banged on the side with an antenna torn in half, but it still worked somewhat. There were a few colourful blinking lights that flashed sporadically, shining in patterns that Celeste could not decipher and unlabelled buttons hat beeped when pressed.

Her first strategy at freeing Seel—Chucky, he was Chucky now—was to press everything and hope to hit the release button. That didn’t work, causing Chucky discomfort instead of releasing him. After giving up on the buttons, she tried the rock. First a normal one, then she had Aria find her the pointy one she’d just broken. Now, for plan C, her Eevee dropped Powder’s Pokéball on her feet.

Celeste let out a frustrated sigh.

Once the collar was off, she was going to capture the Seel and let him know he really looks like a Chucky (or come up with something else if he didn’t like the name). She wanted to introduce him to Powder as part of the team already. To make it a surprise. That was off the cards now.

She angled her Pokéball to the sand and released her Ice Vulpix. Powder greeted her with her warm aurora gaze and a soft “pix”. The small Pokémon then looked around in confusion, all six tails swaying gently in the air, before Aria explained the situation. Powder, understanding, nuzzled Celeste affectionately.

That was the first thing in the day that made Delia stop mid-task. With a Tamato berry half chopped in her hands, she was staring at Powder in awe.

“Yeah, she’s Ice, not Fire,” Celeste couldn’t help but let a smirk play at the corners of her mouth. Even in Alola Pokémon like Powder was rare, typically confined to a mountain preserve that’s off-limits to trainers.

“She’s stunning!” Delia couldn’t resist reaching out to stroke the soft tufts on Powder’s head. “I remember the Professor mentioning Pokémon that look different in other regions. The only one I’ve seen was a Meowth, but it had a beard.”

Celeste giggled. “Those have the worse scratch.”

Delia seemed eager to talk more, no doubt about Powder and how cute she was and how much the Professor would love to see her. In the few months since she hatched, Celeste heard that a lot. While the distraction was tempting and showcasing her Pokémon appealing, she wanted to stay on task this time.

Free Chucky, then bring him into the team. Focus.

With a gentle tap, Celeste invited Powder onto her lap, taking a moment to show her the hinges on the collar. “Did you know metal breaks easily when it’s frozen?” she began, her tone soft. “I asked mum about it once. How come your Ice-Type is weak to Steel, but when you freeze metal it breaks?” She made a funny voice. “First thing she told me was ‘Celly, my Pokémon isn’t weak to steel’. And then, that she said people didn’t understand either type very well, and that they also didn’t get physics.”

Aria giggled, coming closer. Celeste ran a hand over the Seel was also listening with curiosity.

“When things get cold, the atoms inside stop moving as much. Cold metal, like anything else, will get harder, and it won’t bend as well anymore.” With her finger, she traced a dent she’d made on the collar. “See that, Powds? Bent. We wanna make it brittle instead, so next time I smash this thing with a rock, we can help our new friend.” She gesture to the Water-Type by them. “Meet Seel, by the way. He’s a darling.”

Powder, curious, approached Seel, who greeted her with a friendly lick, his large tongue leaving her fur in a spiky disarray, much to her dismay. Despite her protest, her voice remained sweet.

Celeste ran a hand over her head-puffs, settling them down. “Can you help us, Powder?”

She looked unsure.

“You can do it. Just like in Vermilion,” Celeste encouraged. “When I say Powder Snow, you’ll use your move on the hinges.”

With her target in sight, Powder focused intently, her tails pausing as a chill surrounded them. Aria cheered for her. Chucky did too. Celeste readied herself. This was more exciting than Celeste expected. She moistened her salt cracked lips and in gave her command.

“Powder Snow.”

A gentle vortex of snow whirled from Powder’s snout, less intense than before, but sufficient for the task. A Pokémon such as Seel wouldn’t be hurt by it. Crystals of ice, water in the air made solid, covered a chunk of his head and a lot of the collar. It wasn’t particularly powerful and Powder needed to work on her aim, but it was good enough.

With the rock back in hand, Celeste prepared for finally getting her future Pokémon free. “Brace yourself,” she warned, then struck with all her might. The first hit sent shards flying, the second made a cracking sound, and with the third, the collar clattered to the ground—no more lights blinking.

—*——*—

Chucky was ecstatic.

He ran laps like a pup—if a pup had fins and a tail—and frolicked in the sand. He licked Powder a few more times and barked at Aria, who joined him in the sand. There was so much relief on his face.

As Celeste neared, Chucky bounded over. She laughed with him, his joy infectious. “You’re free!” she hummed, attempting to lift him in a celebratory hug. He was too heavy for her. They both fell back, tumbling down towards the waves, her laughter merging with the sound of his claps. “And thanks to you, we’re also alive.”

She extended a hand to him, offering some scratches. He was too energetic for that. He splashed in the water and howled at the moon. Aria’s barks echoed from a distance, hinting she was eager to join the fun, and Celeste caught Delia watching them as well.

It felt like the right time to make it official.

“We made quite the team, huh?” She reached into her pocket, towards the Pokéball she left inside, all ready for her new team member. “You know…” The cool metal filled her palms. She smiled. “I want to become a Pokémon trainer. A very strong one, with the power to make a difference in this world. Would you like to… join in?”

Chucky’s response was to continue splashing about. At her words, his fins gently tapped against her knees and then he twirled in the water. Was that a yes? It… had to be a yes.

Taking the Pokéball in hand, Celeste realized this was her moment of truth, her first solo attempt at capturing a Pokémon. “So, uh…” she fumbled. He was still playing around. She wasn’t sure how exactly to do this, so she tossed the Pokéball up and down, gauging the right moment. “Here it goes. Get ready, Chucky.”

She winced internally, having possibly jumped the gun on the nickname. Her throw, awkward and uncertain, sailed towards Chucky, who smacked it back with his tail, the Pokéball bouncing off Celeste’s head.

“Hey! What was that for?” she protested, rubbing the sore spot and watching the Pokéball roll away. Chucky clapped merrily at that.

Then, with a cheeky honk, he plunged back into the water.

And he didn’t come back.

All Celeste could do was repeat, “Seriously, what was that for?”