Chapter Text
Breakfast time on the Brave Olivine was always a scene.
From making sure that the pancakes wouldn’t burn, to setting the plates, stopping Crocalor from sneaking some of the food, finding the cups, preparing the Pokémon’s food and stopping Crocalor from sneaking the other Pokémon’s food, all Helping Hands are more than welcomed.
“And… there!” Liko beamed as one piping hot pancake was flipped to perfection. Making pancakes in the shape of the Rising Volt Tacklers so early in the morning can be quite the challenge, but the young girl was proud that she stepped up to it. She couldn’t wait to see everyone’s happy faces as they all take a seat and see how cute today’s breakfast is.
“Your flipping skills have really improved, Liko! Good job!” Murdoch, always cheerful and chipper, gave his fellow RVT a well-deserved compliment.
“Aw, thanks Murdoch!” Liko’s smile became even brighter than before. She gestured to her Pokémon partner while placing the pancake onto a plate nearby. “Meowscarada, can you put this on Orla’s side of the table for me? It’s quite hot so be careful!”
Immediately, an intriguing flower made its way towards the plate. With her invisible flower stem, the floral feline dropped the plate onto the table without even having to move out of the chair she was comfily loafing in. There was a fine line between genius and laziness, and the Magician Pokémon decided to use that line as her flower stem.
“Guys, your food's all done!” Dot, her hands occupied with bowls of Pokémon food stacked on top of each other, told the ravenous little critters circling her legs in anticipation of their morning sustenance. “Now let’s… Crocalor, let go of me! I can't put anything down if you keep clinging onto my legs like that!”
At the blink of an eye, the very hungry fire crocodile is swiftly put into air jail. “Come on buddy, put yourself together!” His human partner sternly reprimanded. “Grabbing Dot’s legs won’t make breakfast come faster to you! Be patient!”
Crocalor’s squirming slowly came to a halt as dejection clouded his heart. Guess that he had to accept breakfast being served 3 seconds late then. Bummer.
“Good, now behave yourself!” Roy put his Pokémon partner down onto the floor. “It’s way too early in the morning for trouble, and we’ve already had enough problems to worry about! Like the Strong Spheres, the Laquium-infected Pokémon, Exceed and SABLEYE NO!!”
Just like Crocalor, the crystal-munching gremlin also lacked patience when it came to food. In an attempt to soothe its raging hunger, the little Pokémon decided to get breakfast by itself, something which is easier said than done. For a walking sentient piece of precious mineral, Pagogo is quick.
“Pago! Pago! PAGOGOOOOO!!” screamed the poor turtle as it tried whatever it could to dodge the gemstone eater’s claws. Someone please save me, it prayed to the heavens and back. Rystal, Liko, Rayquaza and the other Heroes, Lucius, Charcadet and even Gibeon too, HELP!!
“Sableye, CUT IT OUT!” The two teenagers yelled. Thankfully, Arceus had decided to answer the crystalline tortoise’s pleas. At Extreme Speed, Liko grabbed hold of her sobbing Pokémon friend. Meowscarada, Hattrem and Charcadet assumed protective stances in front of the two as Roy sentenced Sableye to air jail.
“Sableye! Pagogo is friend, NOT food! Stop trying to eat it!!” Liko scolded the purple gremlin wriggling in her human friend’s hands. No, not the tone she used when she got mad at my Trainer in the dragon bikers fiasco, Sableye shuddered in fear. That means I’m in mega-trouble!!
“Just wait until I tell Ult all about this,” Roy glared, showing no signs of releasing the purple Pokémon from air jail. Mega-great. Now, not only the blue underdyed and the redhead, its Trainer too would join the “I’m mad at you for trying to eat Pagogo” club!!? This was officially the worst day in Sableye’s life.
“That to say, where is Ult?” Dot, still holding on to the food bowls, raised the million-Pokédollar question. “It’s almost breakfast time, shouldn’t he be here already?”
Oh…
Oh.
Oh shoot!! They almost forgot about him!!
“Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’ve just realized that he’s not here!” Liko took a good look around the kitchen to confirm. Yup, no wild child with a messy braid here. “Sableye, have you seen Ult this morning?”
The Darkness Pokémon firmly shook its head. Upon waking up, its Trainer was nowhere to be seen in the observation deck which had become their own place in the Brave Olivine. The only thing besides it at the time was the Dusk Ball containing their mystical Dragonite teammate, which would only come out whenever Ult needed a lot of help protecting his dear friends.
“Then let’s get him,” Roy gestured to the kitchen door. “Skipping meals isn’t good at all and besides, there are a lot of things I need to tell him about.”
The imminent threat of receiving triple the amount of scolding made Sableye go limp in the boy’s hands as Liko and Roy head out to get their fellow RVT.
Ominous dark clouds blanketed the skyline as the two young adventurers and their teammate’s Pokémon went to the outside of the airship’s observation deck. Ult loved being here, thanks to the open blue sky being of great help whenever his motion sickness made its unwanted presence. But today, the usual bright blue tone of the sky got repainted with the most miserable shade of grey that existed. Gales roamed all over the place, making whatever sentient creature it touched shivering from the cold.
“Ugh, not again…” Roy sighed at the murky sky above. “It’s already the third time this week! And why does it have to be on the day we’ve decided to investigate the Laquium Signs!?”
“It’s the rainy season after all. After breakfast, let’s complete it quickly so the rain won’t get to us,” Liko voiced her thoughts. “Oh, there he is! Hey Ult! Ult, over here…!?”
On the outside deck dwelled the aforementioned boy, sitting on the rare dry spot amongst the puddles, branches and leaves left by a heavy downpour the night before. Ult wasn’t exactly known for his braiding skills, but his braid today had managed to be even wonkier and messier than usual. The pitch-black tone of the coat draping over his shoulders made the sickly sallow tone his skin had taken on stood out like a sore thumb.
Yup, something’s definitely wrong with him, the three exchanged anxious glances to each other.
And what happened next only cemented their worries even further.
“...What?” Ult turned around, his voice hoarser than a Honchkrow. His cheeks flushed a bright, glowing red as if he was trying a new makeup look inspired by Cap. “What’s with the ruckus so early in the morning?”
“Ult, you’re sick!” Roy scuttled through the puddles and leaves to get to his ailing friend, Sableye & Liko quickly following suit. “Why didn’t you tell us you’re not feeling well!?”
Ult’s eyes, all puffy and red thanks to whatever his body was trying to fight off, widened as if the redhead boy had just told him that Grumpigs fly. “...Huh? Sick? Me? What are you talking about? I’m mega-fine.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes I am!”
“You look like death’s just run over you!”
“And that’s the airship’s fault!!”
“The Brave Olivine's been stationary since yesterday. You can't get motion sickness from something that isn’t even in motion!”
“LIKE I MEGA CA-!”
Abruptly, a hand was pressed firmly onto the emerald haired boy’s forehead, leaving the back-and-forth between the two most stubborn (and emotionally repressed) beings in existence on hold. “Ult, you’re burning up!” Liko exclaimed, not noticing the visceral irritation emanating from her sick friend. “You really should be in bed right now and-”
“I said I’M MEGA-FINE!! STOP FUSSING OVER A BUNCH OF NONSENSE!! I DON’T GET SICK!! I AM NOT SICK!!” Ult exploded like a volcano while pushing Liko's hand away. To prove his point, he tried standing up. Surely that will get them to stop fretting as if I was some defenseless Baby Pokémon, he thought to himself, trying to ignore the telltale headache throbbing inside his head. His body allowed it to happen for a mere second before his knees wobbled and he face-planted onto the deck like a house of cards.
“Sable!!” cried the Darkness Pokémon trying to shake its Trainer awake. “Sable! Sableye Sableye Sable!!”
“Ult, try to hang in there, OK?” Roy uttered some reassuring words as he lifted the feverish boy up. “Man, I didn't know that it's possible for a human to be as warm as a Slugma!”
“I’ll get the adults! They'll know what to do!” Liko promptly headed towards the kitchen to call for help. “Roy, Sableye, you guys get him to the infirmary, quick!”
“On it!”
“Sable Sable!”
Thunder echoed and flickers of lightning illuminated the skyline as Ult, all weary and drained from the high fever, was hurriedly carried inside to receive medical attention. A very, very long day had only just begun.