Brendan descended into the depths. His eyes drifted between the small computer monitor on his built into his arm to the dark waters below him. He had been diving before with his parents on holiday. The memory of him and his Dad researching the Pokémon which live in the many oceans of their world had lingered on his mind for many weeks now. He was worried he would not get the chance to make new memories with his Father. But he couldn't worry about that now. He had three hours. Three hours to test the suit, explore the depths, look for signs of life, and if he was lucky, catch a Pokémon for himself with one of May's spare PokeBalls.
However, as he sunk deeper and deeper into the waters he began to worry. It wasn't the darkness that worried him, not even the bit of claustrophobia he felt being trapped inside the Aqua suit. Instead, it was the complete lack of life around him. No coral, no Pokémon, no ruins, no movement. There was nothing. Like being in a void. Like sleeping without a dream. Nothing. An empty ocean.
Nothing changed as he descended deeper. Brendan and decided he had gone deep enough for now and began to use the small thrusters on the suit to slow his descent. The jets activated gently but the noise was almost deafening in the silent waters. He began to stop falling, instead staying level. Sealeo squeaked at him and Brendan turned to see the Pokémon elegantly doing the same. Brendan turned and looked around. Finally he could get a good view of this unwanted and new world and like before, it was just empty.
Brendan assumes that the Pokémon who naturally live in the sea, Seakings, Magikarp, Lanturns, hadn't swam up to the surface, as they don't need air, and instead stick to what they've been doing for centuries. But even then, the water pressure changing would force them up eventually, unless they could adapt. He wondered what would happen to those water types who needed to breath. Would they have just drowned at the once-top but now-bottom of the ocean? He felt his fists clench.
Team Aqua has a lot to answer for.
---
May was sitting down on the edge of the ocean. Her little, grass stained, worn-in, yellow and red trainers swing and scraped the top of the water as her tanned legs hung off the small hill. The island their little house which had conveniently existed was no real island. The land was flat and rough. No sand, no beach's. Just the odd bit of hill by the waters edge. May had worried that a simple wave could destroy there little home. She couldn't lose the last thing they had left but nature has done crueler things.
She had saved some choirs for herself to do as a distraction while Brendan was gone. Checking those fruit seeds she planted last month. Still growing. Rationing the food. Barely anything left. Messing with the electricity to see if they could get a radio working. No luck there. Even when using Minun there was just nothing. But even after doing all that she still had an hour to wait.
May looked over the distant horizon and waited. She refused to let her mind drift to her parents, her friends, everyone else. In a way she wished she knew what had happened, even if it was bad. Just so her mind could be at ease. But she didn't know. She couldn't find out. Not yet. Instead, she had decided to assume the worse, mourn in her own way, and keep working. That's what her dad, Professor Birch would do. He would keep working. And yet, she still found herself, sitting in the edge of their tiny little bit of safety, waiting for the gym leaders son to come back and hold her. To keep her safe. Like he always does.
May drifted further into the dark area of her mind. She began to remember what she did. Or what she didn't do. The guilt which was tearing her apart. She was finding it more and more difficult to hold it down. Too keep it in the depths.
"Breathe," May whispered to herself. "Just breathe."
Tropius and Roselia watched their trainer with concern. May knew that her Pokémon could sense her mood, her intentions, her thoughts in a way. They knew when you were angry or sad, happy or anxious. Even sometimes before you know it. They knew if your intentions were good or bad. And they also know that if you had something on your mind and they also know that the best way to cheer your trainer up is to show affection.
Tropius leaned down and tapped May on the shoulder with its head. It let out a reassuring hum which May immediately smiled at. She placed a hand on the bottom of the Tropius neck and stroked it with the edge of her delicate fingers. Roselia sat in her lap, leaning back into her chest and letting out a sweet scent which May knew was designed to calm down Pokémon who had an aggressive nature. The teenager could tell why it worked. She was still waiting for the man she loved. But at least she had her Pokémon with her. Even if it's just a distraction.
One hour too go.
---
After a while of drifting, a flash indicated he only had an hour left. Brendan sighed, but he liked the idea of being back on the surface. Being with her again. He tapped a button and his jets began to activate. This was the part he didn't like. Going down was fine, no noise, no jets, just natural falling. But going up. Full thrusters, a lot of noise, a lot of shaking. None of which he enjoyed doing.
He began to ascend and Sealeo followed.
He had accomplished what seemed like nothing but a waste of time. Everything was working fine. He saw no Pokémon, let alone one he could catch. He knew what he needed to do. He need to go deeper into the depths. A lot deeper. Which meant more going down and more going up. Neither of which appealed to him. But he knew he has to do it. Even if he didn't like it, he had to keep May safe. Which meant he had to feed her, protect her from this dangerous new world, and if he could, find a way to the survivors if their are any.
He was determined to do what he has to do.
His dad always told him. "When under trial there is one solution that works every time."
"Be strong. Get to work." Brendan remembered.
---
May had being checking her watch for the last thirty minutes. She was getting anxious, her mind was wandering if something terrible had happened. She formed stories of the worse possible scenario. Losing the one she loved so much. Losing the only friend she had left. She kept thinking. She kept creating horrible images in her head. She felt a tear beginning to fall. A knot in her stomach, like a knife cutting through her. Then the water started to move.
A wave of relief washed over her as the ocean parted and the Aqua Suit arrived on dry land. May rushed over and placed her hands on the helmet, forcing it off Brendan's head and immediately kissing him. "I was so worried," May mumbled as she rested her head back into his shoulder. "Don't do that again."
Brendan hadn't even had a change to take his suit off yet, but that was the last thing on his mind. "We both know I have too." He reasoned. "But I still missed you." May looked into Brendan's eyes and place a hand onto his cheek. "I love you." Brendan whispered to her.
"I know." She replied. Her genuine and beautiful smile making Brendan's hairs stand on end. "Let's get some food." She added, bringing him out of a low-key trance. As the two headed inside, the sun began to set. But behind it dark clouds began to loom. Lightning and thunder struck the distance and lite up the night sky. A storm was coming. A storm the likes of which they had only seen once before.
