Nasty Plot at Sea, Part 1

Nasty Plot at Sea: A Pokémon Tale, Part 1

“Hey, you with the green overalls!”

Steven froze in his tracks. He had been enjoying a relatively peaceful journey so far, but it seemed he couldn’t make it to nightfall without being stopped.

A boy crossed the lawn from the porch where he had been hungrily waiting. “What are you doing in my neck of the woods?”

Steven looked eye level at the stranger. Even though the boy was more than a few years younger than Steven, he was just as tall. But more angry-looking. “The woods aren’t for another mile or so,” Steven quipped.

“Oh, sarcasm, huh?” The boy stuck his nose in Steven’s face. “Those are fighting words!” Suddenly, the boy leapt back and threw a Pokéball. “Go, Shenzi!” A female Poochyena appeared, teeth bared in a snarl.

“Um,” Steven tried to reason with him. “I’m not really looking for a battle. I’m just on my way to this –”

“Shenzi! Use Bite!” The Poochyena lunged at Steven’s ankles, but Steven jumped out of the way, landing clumsily off to the side of the road.

“Hey!” Steven was flabbergasted that the Trainer would call for an attack so soon. “What’s the big idea?”

“I’m the best Trainer in this neighborhood, and Shenzi here is in the top percentage of Poochyena ever! I will beat everyone that dares to cross paths with me!”

Steven sighed. “Look, dude, you don’t want to battle me. I’m a Gym –”

“Either call out a Pokémon like a man, or Shenzi here will be eating you for dinner!” Shenzi barked in agreement.

“If you say so.” Now he remembered why he hated traveling on foot as a Trainer: so many people eager for a battle. “Go, Olive!” Steven’s Venomoth appeared with a cheerful “Veno!”

“Shenzi, Bite that overgrown insect!” Shenzi leapt into the air, ready for a meal.

“Olive, use Sleep Powder!” Dust shook out of Olive’s wings and blew towards the Poochyena. The Bite Pokémon was soon sound asleep.

“No! That’s no fair!” the boy cried, running to his slumbering Pokémon. “That’s cheating!”

Steven reached into his belt and pulled out a Lum Berry, freshly picked from his garden that morning. “Here, this will wake it up, er, what’s your name?”

“It’s Joe.” He snatched the green Berry and fed it to Shenzi, who soon awoke with a bark.

“Okay, let’s go again! And no cheating with Sleep Powder! That’s not manly!”

“Hey, man, the battle was over when I helped your Poochyena out.”

“What help? Shenzi is fine!”

Steven was very confused. This Youngster Joe was kind of crazy, but at least he loved his Pokémon. “Look, even if I don’t use Sleep Powder, Olive knows Bug Buzz, which is super –”

“Shenzi, use Bite!” Shenzi hopped out of Joe’s arms and sped towards Olive, who looked back at Steven wondering what to do.

Steven shrugged. “Use Bug Buzz, but be gentle. It’s a young Pokémon.” Olive nodded and began to buzz at half of full volume. But even being nice, it was super effective against the Dark-type Pokémon, and Shenzi fainted.

“No! You cheated again! Super effective attacks are lame!” Joe scooped up his fallen friend. “Mom!” Joe cried as he ran back into the house.

Before Steven could decide whether or not he should leave, an aproned woman emerged from the house. “Hello there!” she waved.

Steven waved back warily. Soon, Joe’s mom stepped out onto the dirt road. “Sorry about my son. He’s very excited about battling, and loves to challenge everyone he sees.”

“No problem, ma’am. I tried to go easy on him, but –”

The mother’s jovial expression dropped. “What, my son isn’t good enough for you? You think that you’re so special, a traveling Trainer who has defeated everyone and is so strong you can’t help but knock out all opponents?”

“What? No!” Steven was starting to see where Joe got his people skills. “I didn’t even want to battle him in the first place, but he sent his Poochyena to Bite me!”

“Oh, so this is all my son’s fault? You come into our home –”

“Your home? We’re standing in the street…”

“– and Joe bravely tries to defend himself from your trespassing, and you go and knock out his Pokémon with your ugly Bug-type?”

“Ugly? Olive is beautiful!” Steven turned away. “Forget it, I’m out of here.”

“How rude! We’re just having a friendly chat and you have the nerve to leave? Go, Lassie!” The mother threw a Pokéball hidden inside her apron, and a Stoutland emerged, Intimidating Steven and Olive. “Lassie, use Take Down!”

Steven pulled out Olive’s Pokéball and recalled her with a red beam of light. Stoutland soared past where Olive had been and ended up squashing Steven.

“Atta girl, Lassie!” Joe’s mom congratulated her Pokémon on attacking a Trainer instead of her intended target.

“You people are crazy!” Steven exclaimed from underneath the furry Pokémon. He managed to call out his Nidoqueen, Penelope, who picked Lassie up and tossed her over to her Trainer.

“Lassie, use Take Down again!” Joe’s mom commanded. Lassie roared and charged forward.

“Penelope, use Earth Power!” Penelope charged up some energy between her hands and threw it at the ground, causing it to rumble. Lassie was stopped in her tracks and fainted from the earthshaking attack.

“Wow, a one-hit knock out! I’m impressed!” Joe’s mother’s voice became sweet again.

“Er, thanks, I guess,” Steven responded, bewildered.

“Here, take this money as a reward.”

“Oh, it’s not really necessary –” But Joe’s mom had already grabbed his wrist and folded two 100 Pokémon Dollar bills into his palm.

“This is to help fund your journey. With Pokémon like that, someday you’ll become a great Trainer.”

Steven found it pointless to talk with this family anymore. “Thanks, I should be off now.”

“Take care! Come again soon!” Unlikely.

******

Penelope had decided to walk alongside Steven as they continued on their journey, to ward off any other weirdos looking for a battle. Luckily, that last house was the edge of the town, and they entered the forest just as night fell.

“Okay,” Steven said as they reached a clearing. “I think it’s time to stop for the night. We’ll reach the port first thing tomorrow.”

Penelope looked at Steven expectantly. “Nido?”

“You want another lesson tonight? Sure, I don’t see why not. How about you and the others set up camp while I go for a bath in that stream over there? That Stoutland got slobber and dirt all over me.” Penelope nodded enthusiastically as Steven reached into his belt and called out the rest of his team.

The Pokémon got to work quickly gathering tinder for a campfire and settling in the area. Steven let his team handle everything as he grabbed his towel and flip-flops and exchanged them for the clothes he was wearing. “I’m off!” he announced. “Let me know when you guys are ready!”

Making sure no one was around, Steven removed the towel from around his waist and draped it on a nearby branch. He walked in just his flip-flops into the cool water, shuddering as it sapped the heat from the summer’s day from his body. “Ahh,” he audibly sighed. Once he was deep enough into the pebble-lined stream, he plunged in headfirst and spent the next several moments just floating around on his back, kicking lightly to compensate for the miniscule current flowing across his body.

His floating meditation was soon interrupted. “Heehee!” Steven giggled as he felt familiar claws grasp his ribcage. He thrashed from the tickling sensation and righted himself from his floating position. Looking back revealed his Haunter and his signature devilish grin.

“Haunt haunt haunt!” Newton laughed at surprising his Trainer, and giving his ribcage another squeeze.

“Eep! Hahaha!” Steven guffawed. “There’ll be plenty of time for that later.”

“Haunter haunter,” Newton replied.

“Oh, you guys are done? I guess I’m done here too, let me just – whoa!” Steven had made motions to wade out of the stream, but Newton had already lifted Steven cleanly out of the water and was now carrying him over to the campsite. Of course, Newton could not resist but wiggle his fingers as they hovered, causing Steven to wiggle in midair and giggle his head off.

“Hahaha! No fair!” Steven clamped his arms to his sides in an attempt to block the tickles, but Newton’s ghostly hands were still able to lift and tickle all the same. “Don’t forget my – heehee! – towel!” he sputtered.

Steven was floated down to where his towel hung, but at the distance he was levitating Steven would have to stretch out his arms to reach it, something he was unable to do while receiving paralyzing rib tickles. “Haunt haunt haunt!” Newton laughed and brought Steven closer so he could grab it. Steven felt like a Cranidos with his disproportionately short T-rex arms.

Soon Steven was set standing next to the crackling campfire, courtesy of Penelope’s Flamethrower. Thanking Newton for the ride and the tickles, he wrapped the towel around his waist and rummaged in his backpack for some clothes to put on.

Orville fluttered over with the familiar blue overalls. “Oh, thanks Orville!” He stepped into what his team liked to call his “Tickle Suit,” as they insisted he wear it every time they had a tickle session with him.

Buckling the straps over his shoulders, he asked, “So, where do you want me?”

“Muk!” Irwin waved his Trainer over to him, and Steven sat down, snuggling into the crook of his squishy right arm. Irwin curled his arm around Steven’s shoulders, serving as a back rest so Steven could sit upright.

“Tenta tentacruel,” Seymour said, appearing in front of Steven and calling the other Pokémon to gather round. Penelope and Orville had expressed interest in learning how best to tickle their Trainer like Seymour, Irwin, and Newton had several weeks prior. So, with Steven’s willing cooperation, they had semi-regular lessons at night before bed.

Seymour gestured to Steven to stick out his feet in front of him, and after he did so the Jellyfish Pokémon trapped his ankles there with his tentacles. Newton quickly removed the flip-flops and set them aside, baring Steven’s feet for the tickle lesson. Steven’s toes wiggled in anticipation.

“Veno!” Olive appeared, clutching a magazine and fluttering over to Steven. Olive wasn’t as interested in tickling Steven as the other five were, so usually during the beginning of the lesson Olive and Steven would read something together, usually the news or the latest tips and tricks from the Elite Four. Olive was always very excited to learn about new strategies that the team could employ.

“Thanks, Olive!” He glanced at the cover of the latest issue of Olym Monthly as Seymour began his lecture on the different parts of Steven’s feet. “Oh no, they’re canceling the magazine?” Steven flipped through the pages as Olive perched on his shoulder. He read aloud, his words interrupted by involuntary giggles elicited by Seymour’s instructive tentacles. “Due to the drop in subscription rate – haha! – across the Olym Region, it has become economically – heeheehee! – unviable to continue production of this – eek! – publication.”

Steven turned to the Poison Moth Pokémon. “Darn, that’s too bad! This was my favorite way to catch up – ohoho – on the other Gym Leaders in the region. And they just did that piece on my taking over the Gym from Grandpa Stu, too – oohoohahahahaha!”

It seemed that Seymour’s instruction portion of his lesson had ended, and he was now tickling Steven’s feet earnestly to show the different reactions he could get. Symmetrically, Seymour started at the heels, which made Steven giggle lightly. Migrating up his sole, Seymour demonstrated how Steven’s laughter changed as he moved from sweet spot to sweet spot, from the arches to the balls of his feet. “Heehee no!” Steven barked as Seymour wiggled the tips of his tentacles in the crevices where all the wrinkles met on Steven’s feet, right next to the ball of the foot. This super effective tickle spot caused Steven to buck, but he could not escape Seymour’s iron grip trapping his ankles.

After a brief break, Newton took over for Seymour to tickle the toes, his claws better to manipulate Steven’s ticklish digits than Seymour’s tentacles. Newton demonstrated many of his devastating techniques, to Steven’s ticklish delight. From the classic game “This Little Tepig,” wiggling each of his toes individually, to scraping along the base of Steven’s toes and poking in between, Steven couldn’t even pretend to read anymore. He handed the magazine back to Olive, burying his face in his hands to stifle the uncontrollable giggles. Olive chirped happily and moved closer to the campfire to read.

Thankfully, the toe tickle torture terminated. Steven panted, still slightly giggling, his face plastered with a stupid grin. Irwin hugged his shoulders, showing his love and support and encouraging Steven to hang in there just a little bit longer. Steven nodded back, affirming that he was alright.

Seymour began to mime instructions to Penelope and Orville, both of whom had been paying very close attention to what drove their Trainer bonkers. Seymour removed his wrapping tentacle from Steven’s legs, and Newton rested on them instead, his hands grasping the ankles in front of him lightly. From what Steven could gather, they were about to have a contest to see which of the two Pokémon could make Steven kick his leg free from Newton’s hands first. Irwin shifted his mass and Newton raised Steven’s legs so that Penelope and Orville would have a better height to work with. Steven just folded his hands behind his head and let the games begin.

Orville, on his right foot, began to scrape his wingtips up and down Steven’s sole, making Steven giggle immediately. Orville danced around that super spot on his sole so that Steven would build up anticipation, only darting in and wiggling once he was sure Steven wasn’t expecting it. Each time he did, Steven kicked with laughter, but it wasn’t strong enough for Newton to release his hold.

Meanwhile, on his left foot, Penelope was using her claws to scribble his soles. With six claws to Orville’s two wingtips, Penelope was better able to vary her movements and tickle more places at once. Steven’s laughter increased as Penelope stepped up her game.

Not to be outdone, Orville changed his tactic and moved one wing to saw between Steven’s toes, the membrane tickling so badly against the sensitive skin. The tactic made Steven try to sit up and stop the Bat Pokémon from tormenting him any further, but he could not with his legs held in the air, and Steven slumped back down, giggling in defeat.

Penelope noticed her competitor had tried something new. She too tried to use her strengths to her advantage. Using a tiny Ice Beam on her claw tips, Penelope bent Steven’s toes back slightly so she could tickle along the base of his toes with her cold claws.

“Oh no, that’s so evil!” Steven laughed harder at the new technique. Smirking, Penelope continued the tactic and added cold sole scribbles to the attack, making Steven kick even harder to try to break free.

Orville sensed that Penelope was close to winning, so he decided to pull out his trump card. Quick as a Ninjask, Orville stuck out his tongue and gave Steven’s soles and toes one giant slurp.

“HAHAHA!” The rough tongue was very unexpected and tickled worse than anything he had felt that night. With a reflexive jerk, Steven tugged his right leg out of Newton’s grasp, winning Orville the competition.

Penelope ceased her tickling and applauded Orville for a job well done. Orville took a bow, and Newton let go of Steven’s left ankle, allowing the Trainer to curl up into a fetal position and let his giggles subside. Irwin let Steven sit back up and shifted so he could massage Steven’s feet, erasing the tickles and soothing his Trainer.

When Steven opened his eyes, relaxed, he found that the rest of the team had pulled out his sleeping bag and laid out fresh clothes for him. Irwin boosted Steven up to a standing position, and although weak in the knees Steven waddled over to his stuff. He took off the Tickle Suit and put on the gray T-shirt and blue boxer shorts. His green overalls and the other clothes that he had worn that day were hanging to dry near the fire, rinsed out with Seymour’s Scald.

Seymour took the worn blue overalls that Steven was tickled in and folded them back into the backpack. Steven climbed into the sleeping bag. “Good night, everyone! See you tomorrow!”

A rumble of Pokémon cries answered him. Newton and Orville went to fly into the night, Seymour went for a late night swim, and Olive continued to read by the campfire. Penelope kissed her Trainer on the forehead before settling down beside him, while Irwin was already out cold, asleep under Steven’s head, serving as his pillow. With a contented sigh, Steven closed his eyes and joined Irwin in peaceful slumber.

******