Chapter 9 - Enter Patrick

Celeste caught a Pokémon.

She caught a Pokémon! With her own Pokéball.

No offence to Aria and Powder, but it was never her Pokéball with them. Aria went in her parents’ and for Powder she used some extra Pokéball the guy with her got as a freebie. This wasn’t the case now.

Nope.

It was all her this time.

There was an actual, living, breathing Pokémon in her Pokéball.

She jumped, or rather, stumbled forward in excitement, completely forgetting her leg was still numb from the Tentacool’s attack. She ignored her broken arm, too. Aria was making a racket. Probably trying to figure out what in the world just went down. Celeste couldn’t be less bothered (not really, because inside, she was still terrified). But oh well. There was something shinier in front of her.

A Pokéball.

With her awesome new buddy.

“Let’s say hi, Aria!” she shouted, gripping the metallic sphere with her still-wet cast.

Aria let out a sigh that sounded a lot like Eevee-speak for “You’ve got to be kidding me,” but her next yip had a bit of a ring to it. Celeste took a hopeful breath and hit the release. As the red light faded away, there it was: her new Pokémon, glowing in all its pink glory.

“Ke?” it blinked at Celeste. She blinked back, then paused. “Po,” it finished, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.

Her Slowpoke was a blob of adorableness, a perfect fit for her team with Aria and Powder. Its snout was just begging to be petted, and those eyes—well, they had that Slowpoke blankness, but Celeste found them endearing. Gingerly, she brushed its back. She was taken aback by how smooth and cool its skin was under her touch.

“Hey there,” Celeste greeted, sliding her hand up to its head, trying for a scratch behind the ear—a favourite of Aria’s that didn’t quite land with Slowpoke. A slight adjustment to the snout did the trick, though. Slowpoke leaned into her instantly. “I’m Celeste,” she said, smile on her lips and Tentacool on the very back of her mind. “And this is Aria. It’s very, very nice to meet you.”

The Water-Type gave her yet another unhurried blink. It was a Slowpoke… so that tracked. Celeste looked down at the Pokéball in her hand, pondering. It’s so laid-back. Why did it go in? What if that was an accident?

“Uh… me and Aria, we’re a team.” Celeste shifted her stance. Despite the numbness in her leg, she found a semi-comfortable position with her Eevee nestling by her side. “There’s Powder, too. I’ll introduce you in a bit. I just… We’re in this grand journey. Travelling to become super strong. I…”

She paused, taking a moment to breathe. Turns out talking to a Slowpoke is pretty much a one-way conversation. It kept giving her those slow blinks.

“I’m so happy you got into the Pokéball, but just wanna be sure you’re down for joining us.” She gestured around them. “You’ve got a good deal with this little piece of paradise, and travelling… I’m realising is not always all that comfortable.”

Celeste’s hand found her leg. Feeling the slight pressure where she touched was a relief. Her calves were a canvas of tiny red marks and darker lines, left by Tentacool’s grip and poison. The hint of a burning sensation sparked a mental warning. She brushed the thought aside, clasping her hand over her heart, eyes alight with anticipation, fixed on her maybe-new team member.

“So, what do you say?” Celeste waited for about a minute. Maybe. It felt like a minute. Aria pitched in with a bark of encouragement, and the Water-Type affectionately nuzzled her. Her grin couldn’t have been bigger. “This is gonna be awesome!”

—*——*—

Celeste watched Powder lick their new best buddy. She seemed to have liked him and the feeling was reciprocal. Aria, ever the sceptic, kept shooting Celeste those “Are we really doing this?” looks while eyeing Patrick’s tail with mischief.

Yes. Enter Patrick. Because, really, if this Slowpoke wasn’t a Patrick, who was? She wasn’t going to jump the gun like she did with Chuck the Seel, but really Patrick just fit.

“Hey, buddy.” She scooted closer, trying her best to play it cool despite the swelling, burning sensation on her leg. “Want to talk to you about something…”

He offered her a slow blink. Aria mimicked him, but she was mocking. At least that took her away from the tail.

“Mmm.. Powder here, she is a Vulpix, and Aria is an Eevee,” Celeste began, a little self conscious. “And you are a Slowpoke.”

Another blink came from the Water-Type.

“Right… guessing you knew that.” She scratched her head. “What I’m trying to say is you’re a Slowpoke by species. Like… me! I mean, I’m no Slowpoke, I’m a human girl, but I’m also a Celeste. And you are—”

“…Slow…” Patrick cut in, right on cue.

Celeste cracked a smile. “Not wrong about that,” she whispered. “Arceus, I’m making a mess of this, huh?”

Aria snorted at that, earning a playful nudge from her trainer. Little Powder’s subsequent “Vul” was so endearing that Celeste got her to her lap, prompting the Eevee to feign a pout. The pair then burst into giggles.

“That’s what you’re in for,” Celeste beamed at the Pokémon. “Let’s do this again, from the top. I wanna pick a name for you, if that’s okay? I’d ask yours, but… that doesn’t really work.”

The Slowpoke blinked and stared emptily at this.

“Uh… Jumping straight in then.” Celeste took a deep breath. “How does Patrick sound? I think you really look like a Patrick!” She realised she was almost shouting. “Do… you—”

“Po…” Patrick interjected, then paused. “…ke…”

“Um, yeah… great…” Celeste hesitated. “I… do you like Patrick? It’s a boy’s name because I’m pretty sure you are a boy… you can tell me if you’re not.”

Silence fell, Aria desperately holding back a burst of laughter. Celeste shot her a glare, almost daring. She’d be all “Veev” this and that later, no doubt… She widened her eyes. Knowing words made things simpler, didn’t it?

“Let’s try something else. I’ll ask you questions and you say ‘po’ for yes, ‘ke’ for no,” Celeste suggested, locking eyes with him. His stare hinted he was either deeply contemplating or completely lost. “So… boy Slowpoke?”

She held her breath, waited, then…

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“…Po…” he finally said.

“Fantastic, now—”

“… Ke…” he added, making her bite her tongue.

“I didn’t even ask—”

“Slooow!” he declared, in that Slowpoke drawl.

Celeste facepalmed. “Arceus, give me patience,” she muttered. Aria had lost it, her laughter erupting. Celeste straightened up, adjusting her confused Vulpix aside from the stinging leg, and forced a grin. “We’ll call that a ‘yes’. Next up, and remember, ‘po’ for yes, ‘ke’ for no. Stick to one, okay?”

She waited for confirmation, but only got a stare that pierced her soul.

“Pa-tri-ck. Do you like it?”

From the back, a voice chimed in, “Bit of a mouthful…” Celeste spun around, catching Delia, standing there by the lifeboat and her Shellder. She had this incredulous look on her face. “Is that… a Slowpoke?”

Celeste, unfazed, responded, “Meet Pat.” She turned back to the water Pokémon. “So, what do you think, buddy? Patrick, with Pat for short? You like it?”

He didn’t verbally reply, instead inching closer, step by slow, deliberate step. Celeste coaxed him on, even as Delia muttered in disbelief, “You caught a Slowpoke.”

Celeste ignored it. Her focus was on her Pokémon and her fingers wiggling at him. “That’s it bud, tell me.”

“Sloooow,” he said, edging closer, now practically leaning on Celeste.

“Take your time,” she encouraged, mustering a softness in her tone.

Meanwhile, Delia kept going. “An actual Slowpoke…”

“No, Delia, that’s a Jigglypuff in disguise,” Celeste shot back, her grin unwavering even as her jaw clenched.

Pat took another step and put his two front hooves over her tights. She puffed some air—Slowpoke were heavy. She nodded, invitingly.

“I can’t believe this,” Delia continued, exasperated. “Of all the Pokémon in the ocean…”

Celeste kept her focus. “So…? ‘Po’ or ‘ke’?”

“…Pooooke.”

Even Powder giggled at that one.

“Celeste!” Delia’s voice cut through the air.

Celeste heaved a sigh. “Let’s stick with Pat for now…” and then, turning around, “What’s wrong, Delia?” she muttered, but a smirk tugged at her lips. “Impressed? …Jealous?”

Delia’s scoff was loud. “Impressed? The only ‘impressive’ thing here is how this Slowpoke seems dumber than usual.” She paused, looking away from Celeste’s widening glare. “Seems fitting for the trainer, though.”

“Send me all the cheap shots you want, but leave Pat out of this,” Celeste’s voice became sharp. Rising to defend her Slowpoke, her poisoned leg faltered, but she managed. “You’re hurting his feelings.”

Delia just quirked an eyebrow in response, while Pat offered a leisurely ‘Po.’ Was he finally agreeing with his name, or joining the argument? Probably neither. Celeste was already attached to Pat, or she might have reconsidered having a Slowpoke on her team.

“Cee, seriously, he’s a Slowpoke,” Delia tried again, her tone softer as her eyes trailed down the poison marks on Celeste’s leg.

“Yes, I know he’s a Slowpoke,” Celeste snapped back. “Putting the nice act back on is not gonna work.”

Delia sidestepped, drawing attention to her Shellder. “I’ve got a Shellder, and your Slowpoke… Don’t you know what could happen?”

Celeste paused, her mind racing. Slowpoke… Shellder…? When it hit her, her eyes widened in realisation.

She recalled Biology class, a video about evolution she watched…

“Pokémon evolve in myriad ways, some through battle, others with stones. Yet, there are special cases. Consider the Slowpoke, fishing serenely, oblivious to what lays beneath the surface.” The memory of the narrator’s voice haunted her, as the scene unfolded in her mind—a Galarian Slowpoke sitting by the water. Because of course, Hammerlocke’s most prestigious academy wouldn’t dare feature the lesser variant. “Drawn by the irresistible aroma of Slowpoke tail, a Shellder approaches…” And as expected, the Shellder clamped down on the tail, igniting a transformative glow, with the narrator droning on how molecules on Shellder’s saliva triggered the process, and about the symbiotic relationship of the two Pokémon.

“No, no, no, keep your Pokémon away from my Pat!” Celeste blurted out, instinctively stepping between her Slowpoke and Delia. The idea of Pat changing so soon after their meeting unsettled her. Would he still be the same Slowpoke she’d just bonded with?

Her leg flared with pain, perhaps from the sudden motion or the spike in her pulse. She pressed a hand to her forehead. Delia was lecturing. Words like ‘release’ and ‘pink blob’ swirled around, but she suddenly was unable to focus on any of them. She wanted to argue, to stand her ground, but…

“Delia, I… don’t feel so great…” she managed, just before the world went dark.

—*——*—

The burn seared from Celeste’s legs, clawing its way to her chest and into her soul. Cold sweat traced down her temples and her throat felt tight. Her eyes fluttered open, ocean horizon and rock blurred in front of her. She saw Pat approaching her.

Blink.

Now she was in the lifeboat, but still by the rocky shore. Everything still burned, but her throat felt better.

“De… lia?” Her voice was raspy. “A… ria?”

Silence was her only reply. Another blink, and darkness had cloaked the world. A cold touch on her shin startled her, but before she could react, firm hands gently restrained her.

“Rest, Cee, you’ll be okay.” Delia’s voice reassured her.

“Th… Tenta…” Celeste’s words stumbled out, half-formed.

“I recognised the marks,” her friend spoke, with a soothing calm. The cold sensation in her legs was spreading,

“Del…”

Words failed her, and dreams took over. Dreams of turbulent waters.

Adrift in their lifeboat with Delia and her Pokémon, Celeste faced a Tentacool. Its size so big that it looked Gigantamaxed. The sky bled red, and thunder roared. She wanted to run, but there was only water around them and neither Shelly nor Pat could be fast enough to tow them away.

The Tentacool advanced, its gaze filled with hate. As it screeched, a whirlpool formed, dragging their boat towards oblivion. The tarp, freed from its bindings, danced wildly in the wind, just as it had when the storm first caught them.

“Please…” Celeste’s plea was a whisper, lost in the wind.

The Tentacool’s gem glowed ominously, firing a beam of red energy. But something protected them from the impact. A rock, like the one she hid when in the ocean? No… not quite. It was a Geodude, as big as the Tentacool itself.

Green light burst from within the crevasses on his body as it lunged forward to attack the opponent. Then lightning came down, hitting both Pokémon.

Geodude stood firm, holding onto Tentacool, whose tentacles stabbed and took off pieces from the Rock-Type. Cracks formed around his body and more green light seeped from within, just like blood. He grabbed a tentacle and punched the Poison-Type. The sound of thunder echoed with every hit.

But not just thunder. Voices—faint, distant, murky as the water swirling around them—wove through the chaos.

“So I’m getting a recap? How cliché,” One said. “If I’m going to die, I rather skip it.”

“You are not dead,” another answered. “Not yet.”

“Might as well be… everything’s falling apart anyway,” the first one muttered.

The battle raged on, Geodude and Tentacool exchanging brutal blows. Then, in a desperate move, Geodude reached into the ocean’s depths, somehow bringing the ground up. Celeste stood then, reaching out for the tarp whipping on the side. The lifeboat ascended on a massive wave as she stretched the sheet into a makeshift sail.

They soared with the wind then, and Geodude smiled at the sight.

With a mighty roar, it summoned a barrage of rocks from the heavens, burying the Tentacool beneath the sea. As the threat vanished into the deep, Geodude turned to Celeste. “It’s okay now. I’m not broken yet,” he said in that funny voice of his.

She smiled back at him, the dream fading into wakefulness once again.

It was morning when Celeste opened her eyes and her stomach growled. Around her, all her Pokémon nestled close, offering comfort.

Delia was on her feet, mixing something inside a piece of bark.

“What happened?” Celeste’s voice was weary, but no longer weak. The other girl glanced over.

“Tentacool’s sting. Nasty thing, usually takes a while to really get you.” Delia didn’t pause her mixing. “We had some around Pallet’s creeks. The kids from the town always got into scrapes. My mother taught me how to make a remedy for when we couldn’t make it back in time. Works wonders on the burn and fever.”

She offered her the bark-bowl, revealing a strange purple mash. Celeste’s gaze followed, noting a similar paste blanketed her legs from ankle to knee, leaves nestled atop like a bandage. The dried sections revealed fainter scars. She made a mental note to learn how to make this miracle cure herself. Could she rub it into other wounds, too?

“Try some,” Delia eventually suggested.

“You want me to eat this?” Celeste looked at the bark, suspicious.

“It’s a blend of Pecha and Oran berries with a dash of coconut water,” Delia retorted, her eyes rolling. “Your Slowpoke… Pat was it? He was quite helpful in finding the berries. He’s a good Pokémon. Just keep him from Shelly. Now stop squirming and eat.”

“Pat… helped?”

Celeste’s gaze softened as she looked over at her Pokémon once more. There they were, Aria and Powder, using Pat as a pillow, his tail wrapping around them softly. A small smile crept up as she took the bark. The berry blend was surprisingly tasty and quite soothing in her throat.

“Your mum sounds nice,” Celeste returned to her friend.

Delia’s gaze drifted to the sea, shadowed with a mix of longing and sadness. “Yeah, she… Pallet’s like that, you know? Everyone looks out for each other.”

“We’ll make it back,” Celeste assured, joining her in watching the horizon. “To Pallet, your mum, all of it.”

Delia was silent, lost in contemplation. “I really wanted to leave. Jumped at the chance of a trip when the Professor asked,” she admitted. “Pallet… It feels like a cage sometimes. But this…” she gestured around. “Feels like I’m trapped all the same… What are we going to do?”

Celeste smiled. “I had the strangest dream.” She tapped the tarp still secured to the lifeboat. “Giant Pokémon and flying lifeboats aside, it actually gave me an idea.”

Delia’s curiosity piqued.

“We’re going to make a sail.”