Just as we were about to head out of the hotel, I paused and turned back remembering that ı forgot to give Aria and Oddy their items.
"Hey, I think I forgot my hat in the room. I'll grab it real quick and catch up!" I called.
Khan gave me a lazy thumbs-up. "Don't waste your time!" he shouted after me before going right back to ready some items for their own Pokémon with Amaris.
"Be fast!" Rhea added as I jogged down the hall.
Once inside, I locked the door behind me and stepped into the middle of the room. With a click, I released both Aria and Oddy from their Poké Balls. They appeared with soft flashes of light, blinking as they readjusted to the room's warmth.
"Alright," I said with a quiet smile, "let's give you two some power-ups."
They exchanged a small glance, then turned their attention back to me. I pulled up the inventory screen and withdrew the Leftovers and the Big Root. The items materialized in their hands, slightly bigger than ı expected. For a moment, they just held them—turning them over, poking at them, unsure of what to do.
"Huh. Looks like these might be a bit... big.." I muttered, stepping forward and gently retrieving the worn and torn BigRoot from Aria. She leaned against the bed, staring up at the ceiling as if already trying to imagine a way to use it.
I sat beside her, rolling the Root between my palms. "Hey, Aria. Can you try using Draining Kiss while holding this?"
She nodded silently, hopping to her feet as ı throwed the Big root to her hands before standing up myself.
"Oddy, brace yourself."
Oddy didn't complain. He stuffed the Leftovers into one of the mouths atop his head and extended his vines and mouths outward in a makeshift Protect, like a living barricade.
"Aria, use Draining Kiss!"
She dashed forward, one arm weighed down slightly by the Big Root. As she neared, she swung her hand and a soft pink sphere burst from her hand, slamming into Oddy's barrier. The orb absorbed a bit of energy from him before zipping back to her—larger now—where it pulsed gently against her chest. Scratches from the morning's training faded from her skin as the healing took effect.
I stepped in, kneeling beside her. Oddy collapsed gently onto the carpet behind us, retracting his vines with a tired sigh.
"Did it make a difference?" I asked, watching her closely.
She nodded without a word, still focused on the Big Root.
I let my eyes drift to the item. "Hmm... Hey, you bastards can shrink these things, right?" I said aloud to the bastards who were probably watching me even when ı was sleeping.
Silence.
Then, slowly, the red screen in front of me shifted into a calm, ocean-blue.
[Side Mission: Defeat the Gym Leader Wild]
[Reward: Items will be resized to fit your Pokémon comfortably]
The screen faded back to its usual scarlet hue after talking.
I let out a quiet chuckle. "Fair enough."
Without another word, I pressed the buttons on their Poké Balls, recalling Aria and Oddy in twin flashes of red light. The room fell still again. I unlocked the door and taked my red hat out of the hanger,pinning it above my head as ı stepped back into the hallway, ready to rejoin the others.
"What's taking you so long?" Amaris asked, sitting on a chair backwards, her arms draped over the backrest.
I scratched the back of my head as I walked up to her. "Sorry. I couldn't find my hat for a while."
I glanced around. "Where are Khan and Rhea?"
"They're already waiting in the car. I lost at rock-paper-scissors, so I'm stuck in the back of the truck." She shrugged with a light sigh before standing up and putting the chair back in place.
"Wait... then what about me?"
Amaris gave a small grin as we stepped out of the hotel together. "You weren't there, so we kinda just threw your name in the back by default. Rhea's driving, and there's only one passenger seat up front."
She locked the door behind us and pointed toward an orange Jeep with a flatbed. Khan was already sitting in the front seat, grinning and waving then dramatically pointing toward the truck bed.
"At least we'll get to feel the sea breeze firsthand..." Amaris muttered, hopping up onto the back of the Jeep with practiced ease.
I circled the vehicle and climbed onto the bed myself. A small black carpet had been rolled out across the metal surface, softening the ride just a little.
"You two okay back there?" Rhea called out the window, craning her head around.
"I guess so?" I replied, settling into a cross-legged position on the carpet.
"Yep! We're good to go!" Amaris added, thumping her palm against the aluminum siding.
"Alright then," Rhea said, calm and unfazed as the Jeep roared to life and pulled out onto the open asphalt.
I took off my red cap, letting the wind run through my hair as the city rolled past. Up ahead, the port loomed in the distance, packed with ships of all shapes and sizes—from massive cargo vessels to sleek private boats gently bobbing in their docks.
After a while, I turned toward Amaris. She sat across from me, carefully wiping down three Pokéballs with a clean cloth.
"What Pokémon do you have?" I asked, watching her hands move with steady familiarity.
"Ah, nothing too strong. A Magikarp, a Politoed, and a Feebas," she replied, then tilted her head. "How about you?"
"I've got a Kirlia and a Gloom. But wait—where'd you get a Feebas?" I asked, brows raised. Feebas wasn't native to Kanto or Johto, and even in Hoenn where it was found, the thing was a nightmare to track down.
"Misty gave it to me. I told her I wanted a strong and beatiful Pokémon, so she handed me this little guy. This little fella is the reason ı had teamed up with other idiots!" She said before passing me the Pokéball with a smirk, pride glinting in her eyes.
I blinked. "Wait... are you one of the Water Girls?"
"Yeah, I am! Water Girl Amaris!" she said with a playful flourish, tossing her hair over her shoulder like it was some kind of title card entrance.
I snapped my fingers. "Don't you remember me? Wait—let me jog your memory."
With a grin, I pulled Aria's Pokéball from my belt and pressed the button. The capsule burst open in a flash of light—and Kirlia landed gracefully beside me.
She snapped her fingers as recognition sparked in her eyes. "Oh! You're the vampire boy!"
A grin spread across her face as her gaze landed on Aria. "So you evolved your Ralts, huh?" She leaned forward, reaching out to pat Aria's head but her hand passed right through her. Aria didn't flinch or even react. She simply kept her eyes fixed on the city rolling past us, her expression blank.
"Don't take it personally—she's usually like this.....with other people" I said the last part quiter with a shrug, watching as Amaris pulled her hand back with a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, I'm that 'vampire guy,'" I added, giving her a look.
"Sorry for not recognizing you," she said, laughing softly. "There are just so many new trainers that come through the Gym that I can't even keep the track of who's who."
I didn't blame her, but it made me curious. If she was a Cerulean Gym trainer… what was she doing out here?
"Hey, Amaris," I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Why are you here?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean… aren't you supposed to be at the Gym? What are you doing out here instead?"
The smile on her face wavered just slightly. The wind picked up and brushed a few strands of her hair across her face alongside whatever worry she had before. She leaned in closer, her tone quiter.
"Alex, I'm going to tell you something—but it's a secret, alright? Don't even think about telling anyone."
I nodded quickly and made a zipping motion across my lips before miming throwing away the key to air.
She glanced around, then whispered, "Misty's planning to retire."
I stopped for a second, burying my face in my hands. Feeling happienes for them but still remembering that things were constantly changing instead of staying like what ı hoped them to be.
"Why?" I mumbled from behind my palms. Aria must've picked up on my mood because she gave my shoulder a soft, reassuring pat.
"Well," Amaris started, counting on her fingers, "she has money. A kind and supportive husband. A really nice car. A beautiful house. And did ı mention that she has money."
She let out a little laugh at the end, but I could tell there was more to it
I dropped my hands and looked at her sideways. "Okay, fair enough. But… what does that have to do with you?"
Amaris gave me a quiet smile before taking the Pokéball that she had handed her earlier. She held it tightly, as if drawing strength from the little Feebas inside of it.
"Because once I complete my journey… I'm going to replace her."
The words hung in the air for a beat. She held the Pokéball tighter, gazing into it like it held her whole ocean inside of it.
"Alex," she said. Her voice full of pride as she Lifted her eyes to meet mine. The sunlight hit her black irises just right, making them gleam with quiet determination. "You're looking at the next Mermaid of the Seas—Amaris."
The red of the Pokéball glowed softly in her grip, the wind still rustling around us as the city sped by.