CiTRiNE (Pokémon Fanfic)

5. Sea

If the sea was you, I'd dive and never resurface.

The wind was bristling, whirling through her hair and jostling them out of their spots. They'd soon escape from the twintails she pulled them into, but for now, she admired the sea. 

Gyarados cut through the sea, its serpentine, dragon-like form rode the waves at a calming speed, not boosting forth through the tides-- although, it did look like it wanted to.

Citrine sat down on its back, watching it stream through the waves, the gale biting at her face even though she didn't face it. Her brother was standing atop the creature's head, facing the view bravely, accustomed to greater rapids.

"Quartz, was Sinnoh fun?" she spoke up, raising her voice over the deafening torrents.

"It was!" and he was smiling so wide, "there's a lot there you can't find in Hoenn. Pokemon, people, everything. Leafeon's incredible, don't you think?"

Leafeon, who evolves surrounded by greenery. Citrine remembered acquainting it as an Eevee, so it was possible that her brother's had it for a rather long while.

As rare as Eevee were, Hoenn was a region where Eevee did not come to stay. Citrine knew that, but she also knew she'd never seen an Eevee before.

"Do you like it more than Hoenn?" 

Citrine pulled at Gyarados' fin, carefully grasping at each available, handle-like crevice, pulling herself up to face the scenery before her. 

"Of course not!" she found her brother grinning at her, "every region is full of amazing things to explore. Hoenn and Sinnoh are just a dime in a dozen."

Little isles and rocks come into view, and Gyarados slowed for cautious curves.

"It took me two years to travel Kanto, but one year to conquer Sinnoh," Quartz spoke to her, sitting down and closing his fist in a sort of animated determination, "my next stop is Johto, but there's so much more out there I've yet to see. I almost wish I could see it all, at once, now."

Citrine kept her eyes on her brother-- and inside, she felt admiration fill her. Awe, and inspiration was in her heart. She felt the urge to ask if she could go with him, but she didn't. 

Simply because her brother was a researcher, an adventurer, an avid Pokemon Trainer-- and Citrine had no right to interfere with his journey.

She wanted to travel the regions too, she knew it true from her heart.

She ran a hand across Gyarados' head-- and sensed warmth. She noted the care, the gentleness present in this large creature-- it went slow, slower than even those other trainers they passed-- yet, perhaps because this little girl was on board, it didn't fall to taunts.

She savoured the deep, earnest trust reverberating from this Pokemon-- and understood that it was directed purely at her older brother.

"What about here?" she asked, "how long did it take for you to conquer Hoenn?"

At that, her brother chuckled dryly, rubbing the back of his head on a rather bashful note. "Actually, I haven't traversed all of Hoenn yet."

She froze, "what?"

"It's a long story," he muttered with a sigh, "I was tasked to deliver a parcel of sorts all the way to Kanto, which was simple with flight," he rambled, "then I found some strange Berries, got interested, and lost myself there."

Citrine was petrified, "I can't believe it, you take a detour for two whole years?"

"I mean, it's a part of my job..." he pouted, denying guilt.

Citrine threw her hand up to her face, burying it in shame. "And you went right off to explore Sinnoh, instead of completing your studies in your birthplace."

"I'm spreading my wings."

"Toward the sun, I hope."

The brother dove toward his sister, holding her in a teasing chokehold, "you really grew a mouth when I was gone!" he taunted, "all grown up and ready to bully your brother, eh?"

Citrine whined, struggling to escape from his haughty grasp, "it's because you're so laid back," she argued, "I'm almost an adult already!"

He laughed, wrapping his sister in a rough shoulder hug. Citrine sighed, but made herself comfortable from there.

"That's right!" Quartz seemed to get an idea, "how about you go on and explore Hoenn for me?"

Citrine bolted, pushing away from her brother abruptly, "what?"

"You're already turning twelve next year!" Quartz responded quickly grinning proudly, "that's about the age I was when I started out, y'know."

"Really?"

Come to think of it, in this world, people usually set out on their journeys when they turned ten. Citrine would be a late bloomer, then.

But, "even though you can't trust me with my own personal safety yet?"

At that, her brother seemed to burst out in laughter. Citrine didn't think she'd said anything remotely hilarious, but her brother held his stomach cackling like a madman and nearly rolling off of Gyarados like a doofus.

"Why are you laughing? Stop- wait, wha-"

Wheezing, her brother struggled to compose himself. It seemed something that happened was hysterical to him, and Citrine really didn't get it.

"Let's get you a Pokemon!" he decided, standing up and holding on to Gyarados' fin. 

"A Pokemon?" Citrine brightened up, "I can? Really?"

"Hold on tight," he grinned, then pointed to the sky, "Full speed ahead, Gyarados!"

Citrine felt danger.