literature

Sailor's Progress

Deviation Actions

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It was on the foredeck of the S.S. Anne in which one sailor was finishing his round of swabbing. The other sailors were still working on their assigned areas while the man they called “D-Rex” took ease against the chain railings, holding the chain posts. Though the ship was still in port, moored to the pier, no true sailor foolish or clever falls right into the water after a good swab. What gripped his attention was a man who clearly never earned his sea legs by swabbing.
“Hey, punk! Where’s your captain? I want to challenge him so I can earn a free cruise!” said the man in blue attire.
“Go punk a rich uncle or something. I’ll show you no mercy.” said D-Rex. Suddenly the deck chief realized who D-Rex was talking to. Calmly he approached putting a firm hand on the sailor’s shoulder.
“What seems to be the trouble?” asked the deck chief.
“Oh, nothing,” said the man in blue. “I was just wondering if the captain of this ship knows what skylarking means.”
All the other sailors stopped swabbing when they heard this. They eventually threw down their swabs and gathered around D-Rex. Waiting on the deck chief, they all waited for the word on the land loving city slicker. Regrettably the deck chief shook his head.
“You’ll find the captain in his quarters. Follow the signs.” he said, to the offense of every sailor still on deck. After delivering an obnoxious gesture, the man in blue made towards the inner cabin. All the sailors looked harshly on the deck chief. “I know. But if you knew whose grandson he was, you would know why the flip I just did that.”
Later that afternoon, D-Rex was resting once more until another stranger came walking by. He wore a red and a jacket with a pikachu.
“Watch your step.” said D-Rex to the kid in the hat. He paused, polite at first. A calm smile was on the boy’s face. D-Rex caught the look and smirked back. “Alright then, it’ll ease my tension right now anyway.”
He took a Pokéball from his belt, releasing D-Rex’s only squirtle. The kid in the hat looked at his pikachu and pointed.
“You know what to do.” said D-Rex to his squirtle. With a leer at the lightning mouse, the squirtle launched a stream of bubbles. The pikachu dashed to the side, moving forward. Darting around each other, the squirtle ducked it’s head for a skullbash. The pikachu was too fast, dodging off to the left. Then the pikachu unleashed a bolt of lightning. As it struck the squirtle, he struggled further. After three steps he finally collapsed. A compassionate stare and a sigh is all D-Rex had for the squirtle at the moment.
“Good job kid.” said D-Rex, taking out a twenty dollar bill. “There’s other days to win a war, I suppose.”
Accepting the twenty dollar bill, the kid in the red hat nodded to the sailor’s one liner. Then he and his pikachu left D-Rex and the squirtle to go about their business. Not a whimper could be heard from the squirtle as it stared at the deck. D-Rex slowly picked up the tortoise, and brought him to their cabin quarters. Looking through the closet, he only found empty medicine bottles and bandage scraps. Suddenly, he heard a tap on the door. D-Rex was lightly surprised to see the deck chief standing in the doorway.
“The captain has requested your presence.” said the deck chief. The way he said this and the uncomfortable expression made D-Rex figure there was something bad to anticipate from this discussion. Keeping the right mindset, he calmly nodded to the deck chief and returned the squirtle to the pokéball. Climbing up the stairwell, he passed right by photos framed from many years of service.
At the top, the master at arms immediately opened the door. As D-Rex walked in, the master at arms gave him one final assuring pat on the shoulder. Then D-Rex approached the desk standing at full military attention as his hamstrings would allow. After relieving himself at the last of seasickness, the captain ordered him at ease. He then sat at the desk, putting his mind on small faith after clearing his throat.
“What I am about to say goes off the record you will see.” said the captain. “That jack-whit who burst through here has abused his privileges to accuse you of skylarking. All of us here know that you have never disobeyed any standing orders while serving on this vessel. Therefore, with gratitude and good faith, I hereby release you from all duties and responsibilities under my safe guided attention.”
This news was at first a blow to the true inward faith of D-Rex. But the briefly compassionate and grateful expression on the captains face kept in D-Rex’s mind for the rest of his adult life.
“Before you go,” continued the captain. “I should warn you that there should be no need to worry about that jack-whit. That other trainer in the red cap will find him out some day. My last advice to you is three standing orders you will never regret. Find a job. Find a wife. Make a home. That is all.”
With a handshake instead of a salute, D-Rex took his digital service record and left the S.S. Anne for the last time as a sailor. Walking the streets of Viridian, he walked into the pokémart instead of the medical center. Before walking the isles, the softest most gentle voice D-Rex heard in the entirety of all universes asked one simple question.

“How are you?” asked the woman sitting behind a fold up table. D-Rex looked her in the eye, and almost kept on his way with the gloomy look on his face. “Do you have any Pokémon in need of a free checkup?”
Standing by himself, D-Rex softly kept his eyes on hers. He wanted to say no, but some sort of peace awoke in his heart and conscious mind. He then chose for once to trust in more than just himself.
“I only have one.” admitted D-Rex. He took the seat opposite the table and let his Pokémon out.
“Oh!” said the woman. Suddenly in shock of what she saw. “Oh my.”
“Had one last battle as a sailor’s squirtle.” said D-Rex. After a second glance, the woman noticed how D-Rex was still in uniform. Her eyes were deepened in humane understanding. “Why don’t we go to the Pokémon center down the road?”
With his eyes on the squirtle, D-Rex still could not possibly say no. She led the way, all down to the medical center as if it were planned from the start. The sliding doors opened and following in, D-Rex placed his squirtle on the bed where she led him. Gentle as a soft feather upon a desk, she put her hand upon the tortoise’s shoulder.
“Okay. I’m going to give you a choice. Promise me you will only pick the one that makes you most comfortable.” she said. The tortoise holding back his tears nodded yes.
“Over here, we have this special machine that will clearly outdo my first aid kit,” she said, pointing behind her. “Or I can put this over your shell.”
Something in the tortoise was unmoved by this joke which almost made her sad.
“Both,” said D-Rex. She looked back at him a moment and smiled. Childlike but courageous, the Pokémon lay within the open chamber. As the mechanics spun and whirled, the squirtle was revitalized. It’s skin returning to softness.
“Does he have a name?” she asked.
“I’ve not had much time to think about it,” said D-Rex. “What would you name a squirtle?”
“I’m not really good with names.” she said.
“I’m not either,” he said. Staring at the band-aid atop the tortoise shell, he saw it was colored with a yellow bird. “Yellow. I guess I’ll call him Yellow from now on.”
They smiled at each other, falling to compassionate silence aimed at the Pokémon. After the procedure was over Yellow walked out with his trainer. D-Rex stopped once more hearing that same voice.
“What’s your name?” she asked. Slowly, D-Rex turned back toward her. She saw his name tag. “Glasech?”
“No. That’s just the name tag.” said D-Rex. “My real name is Delta.”
“Well, it was nice meeting you.” she said. They smiled at each other one last time before D-Rex walked out of the med center with Yellow. Where he would go then, he left to fate even as she fell to saddened silence.
Not just any pet project. A Pokémon fantasy that is true legend.

Not officiated by Nintendo, or abusing my creative license to forbid a recreation. Please read, and enjoy the life given you.
© 2017 - 2024 CACblind
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