Tirion
Lint Magnet
- 58
- Posts
- 9
- Years
- In my house
- Seen Jul 26, 2016
Just a humorous piece of flash fiction
---------------
Lynwood dangled his feet off the edge of the dock. He had learned years ago to wear shoes out here, as the Magikarp tended to get a bit nippy. Learned the hard way, that is. The other fishermen had warned him, but it was only when trying to pry the slimy red Pokémon's mouth off his big toe when he decided they probably knew what they were talking about.
He chortled to himself as he looked out over the calm water, glistening in the late-morning sun. A small cluster of islands floated mysteriously on the horizon. Well, they were mysterious to him, but not to the dozens of swimmers who made the trip as a part of their daily routine. There was nothing exciting about them, they all said. Just some trees and a family or two of Krabby. But still, sometimes it was nice to pretend.
The warm sea breeze swept through Linwood's hair and rustled his clothes. He inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar briny scent he had come to love over the years, and wondered as he often did whether Olivine smelled the same. He liked to imagine it did, only more savory with the aromas of the city's cuisine. One day he would find out, when he bought a cozy little cottage on the coast, right in view of the lighthouse. But then everything was in view of the lighthouse there, wasn't it?
He figured the wood of the old fishing rod in his hands. It wasn't much, but it felt right to him. Besides, it was lucky. It had caught him Sparky. He grinned as he turned to look at the large glass bowl resting beside him. Inside swam a bright golden Magikarp, donning its facial expression of perpetual confusion. Yep, gold. Not red. It was rare, he heard. So rare that he had never met anyone else who even claimed to have seen one, though he heard Lance, the Dragonmaster, had gotten his hands on a red Gyarados. He wondered if there was a connection.
Yep, it was a perfect day, he figured, as the sun shone through the nearly cloudless sky to illuminate Sparky's scales. Nothing in the world could ruin it now.
"Still coddling that useless mutant, I see," came a voice from behind.
Nothing, except for that of course.
"Go away, Wort," said Lynwood. Why did he always have to jinx himself?
Wort laughed. "'Go away?'" he mocked. "The King and I have just as much right to be here as you two sad sacks. How many Magikarp you get today? Or can that stick of yours catch anything else?"
Lynwood let out a breath, and could feel rising anger flush his cheeks. 'The King' was Wort's nickname for his Krabby. He claimed it had the biggest claws in the world, and didn't hesitate to let the other fishermen hear about it on a regular basis. No one was sure how he had gotten it, but it almost certainly wasn't by fishing.
"More than you could ever catch!" he shot back, knowing how stupid it sounded but needing to say something confrontational.
Wort laughed again. "You hear that King? They think they're better than us. As if that freak of a fish could even find its way around that fishbowl."
Lynwood jumped to his feet, still clutching the rod in his hands. "I'll bet my tackle box my Sparky could beat your Krabby and its puny claws any day!" He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He knew he didn't stand a chance. All Magikarp could do was swim and flail about, that much at least he knew about battling. It was too late to back down now, though.
Anger flashed in Wort's eyes, and even his Krabby seemed fired up. "Oh you did not just say that. Fine then. We'll crush you right here, right now!"
Adrenaline pumping, Lynwood plunged a hand into the fish bowl, grabbed ahold of the Magikarp, and hurled it across the dock. "Go Sparky!"
The fish sailed through the air and landed with a flop right in front of the Krabby. "Karpkarpkarpkarkpkarkpkarkp!" it sputtered as it flailed in place, utterly useless.
"Get him Sparky!" Lynwood yelled with rising panic. Suddenly The King's claws looked awfully large. Wort burst into wild laughter, tears streaming from his eyes. The red in Lynwood's face turned from anger to embarrassment as he watched The Krabby make a show of opening and closing its claws, emphasizing how casually it was about to dispose of his Pokémon.
Lynwood's heart sank. What in the world was he doing? It was over. Wort had won. How was he ever going to live this down? He would have to move, but where? He didn't have the money to make it all the way to Olivine. How would he—
THWACK!
All went still. Wort's laughter cut off. Sparky ceased its flailing, and a stunned Krabby stood wide-eyed with claws seemingly frozen in place. Lynwood took a moment to process what had just happened.
Sparky's tail had just inadvertently smacked Wort's Krabby in the face. The red crab had no idea how to react. No one did.
"Magi….Karp?" the fish said, a tone of realization creeping over its usually clueless voice. It flailed again.
THWACK!
It reconnected, and the crab took a step back.
"Karp?"
THWACK!
Another step back.
"Karp!"
THWACK!
"Magikarrrp!" This time the fish dove in full force towards the Krabby, which bolted away with a squeal. In a matter of seconds Sparky was leaping and bounding, chasing the frantic crab back and forth across the dock. Wort looked utterly dumfounded as his prized Krabby fled circles around his legs, put to the chase by a measly Magikarp out of water.
"Hey! Wait a minute! The King, do something! Stop running! Hey! Stop it!"
It was Lynwood's turn to laugh as the Krabby leaped towards its master, and with a large claw activated the Pokéball at his belt, disappearing into the safety within with a flash of red. In a moment Sparky had acquired its new target and dove towards the abandoned Wort.
"Whah? Huh? Ahhhhhhhh!" Wort turned hightailed it back up the dock, not bothering to check if the Magikarp was following him as he stumbled onto the shore and bounded away.
The Magikarp bounced in place, emitting a gleeful "Kapkarpkarpkarp!" as Lynwood, still laughing, dropped the fishing pole and rushed forward to scoop up his golden fish.
"Attaboy Sparky!" he said, returning the Magikarp to its bowl. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!" Of course, that was a flat-out lie, but who cared?
As he retrieved the old rod and settled back into his spot at the end of the dock, he couldn't help but grin. There was no way Wort would show his face around here again, not after he told the other fishermen what had happened. A perfect day indeed.
The sea breeze wafted over him, nestling itself into his senses in that familiar, comfortable way. His thoughts returned to Olivine, and an idea began to form. He looked to Sparky, golden scales shimmering in the sun. He had never thought of himself as trainer material before, but just then, the thrill of battle—it had been exhilarating. Maybe he was selling himself short.
And maybe, just maybe, there was a way to get to Olivine after all.
---------------
Lynwood dangled his feet off the edge of the dock. He had learned years ago to wear shoes out here, as the Magikarp tended to get a bit nippy. Learned the hard way, that is. The other fishermen had warned him, but it was only when trying to pry the slimy red Pokémon's mouth off his big toe when he decided they probably knew what they were talking about.
He chortled to himself as he looked out over the calm water, glistening in the late-morning sun. A small cluster of islands floated mysteriously on the horizon. Well, they were mysterious to him, but not to the dozens of swimmers who made the trip as a part of their daily routine. There was nothing exciting about them, they all said. Just some trees and a family or two of Krabby. But still, sometimes it was nice to pretend.
The warm sea breeze swept through Linwood's hair and rustled his clothes. He inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar briny scent he had come to love over the years, and wondered as he often did whether Olivine smelled the same. He liked to imagine it did, only more savory with the aromas of the city's cuisine. One day he would find out, when he bought a cozy little cottage on the coast, right in view of the lighthouse. But then everything was in view of the lighthouse there, wasn't it?
He figured the wood of the old fishing rod in his hands. It wasn't much, but it felt right to him. Besides, it was lucky. It had caught him Sparky. He grinned as he turned to look at the large glass bowl resting beside him. Inside swam a bright golden Magikarp, donning its facial expression of perpetual confusion. Yep, gold. Not red. It was rare, he heard. So rare that he had never met anyone else who even claimed to have seen one, though he heard Lance, the Dragonmaster, had gotten his hands on a red Gyarados. He wondered if there was a connection.
Yep, it was a perfect day, he figured, as the sun shone through the nearly cloudless sky to illuminate Sparky's scales. Nothing in the world could ruin it now.
"Still coddling that useless mutant, I see," came a voice from behind.
Nothing, except for that of course.
"Go away, Wort," said Lynwood. Why did he always have to jinx himself?
Wort laughed. "'Go away?'" he mocked. "The King and I have just as much right to be here as you two sad sacks. How many Magikarp you get today? Or can that stick of yours catch anything else?"
Lynwood let out a breath, and could feel rising anger flush his cheeks. 'The King' was Wort's nickname for his Krabby. He claimed it had the biggest claws in the world, and didn't hesitate to let the other fishermen hear about it on a regular basis. No one was sure how he had gotten it, but it almost certainly wasn't by fishing.
"More than you could ever catch!" he shot back, knowing how stupid it sounded but needing to say something confrontational.
Wort laughed again. "You hear that King? They think they're better than us. As if that freak of a fish could even find its way around that fishbowl."
Lynwood jumped to his feet, still clutching the rod in his hands. "I'll bet my tackle box my Sparky could beat your Krabby and its puny claws any day!" He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He knew he didn't stand a chance. All Magikarp could do was swim and flail about, that much at least he knew about battling. It was too late to back down now, though.
Anger flashed in Wort's eyes, and even his Krabby seemed fired up. "Oh you did not just say that. Fine then. We'll crush you right here, right now!"
Adrenaline pumping, Lynwood plunged a hand into the fish bowl, grabbed ahold of the Magikarp, and hurled it across the dock. "Go Sparky!"
The fish sailed through the air and landed with a flop right in front of the Krabby. "Karpkarpkarpkarkpkarkpkarkp!" it sputtered as it flailed in place, utterly useless.
"Get him Sparky!" Lynwood yelled with rising panic. Suddenly The King's claws looked awfully large. Wort burst into wild laughter, tears streaming from his eyes. The red in Lynwood's face turned from anger to embarrassment as he watched The Krabby make a show of opening and closing its claws, emphasizing how casually it was about to dispose of his Pokémon.
Lynwood's heart sank. What in the world was he doing? It was over. Wort had won. How was he ever going to live this down? He would have to move, but where? He didn't have the money to make it all the way to Olivine. How would he—
THWACK!
All went still. Wort's laughter cut off. Sparky ceased its flailing, and a stunned Krabby stood wide-eyed with claws seemingly frozen in place. Lynwood took a moment to process what had just happened.
Sparky's tail had just inadvertently smacked Wort's Krabby in the face. The red crab had no idea how to react. No one did.
"Magi….Karp?" the fish said, a tone of realization creeping over its usually clueless voice. It flailed again.
THWACK!
It reconnected, and the crab took a step back.
"Karp?"
THWACK!
Another step back.
"Karp!"
THWACK!
"Magikarrrp!" This time the fish dove in full force towards the Krabby, which bolted away with a squeal. In a matter of seconds Sparky was leaping and bounding, chasing the frantic crab back and forth across the dock. Wort looked utterly dumfounded as his prized Krabby fled circles around his legs, put to the chase by a measly Magikarp out of water.
"Hey! Wait a minute! The King, do something! Stop running! Hey! Stop it!"
It was Lynwood's turn to laugh as the Krabby leaped towards its master, and with a large claw activated the Pokéball at his belt, disappearing into the safety within with a flash of red. In a moment Sparky had acquired its new target and dove towards the abandoned Wort.
"Whah? Huh? Ahhhhhhhh!" Wort turned hightailed it back up the dock, not bothering to check if the Magikarp was following him as he stumbled onto the shore and bounded away.
The Magikarp bounced in place, emitting a gleeful "Kapkarpkarpkarp!" as Lynwood, still laughing, dropped the fishing pole and rushed forward to scoop up his golden fish.
"Attaboy Sparky!" he said, returning the Magikarp to its bowl. "I knew you wouldn't let me down!" Of course, that was a flat-out lie, but who cared?
As he retrieved the old rod and settled back into his spot at the end of the dock, he couldn't help but grin. There was no way Wort would show his face around here again, not after he told the other fishermen what had happened. A perfect day indeed.
The sea breeze wafted over him, nestling itself into his senses in that familiar, comfortable way. His thoughts returned to Olivine, and an idea began to form. He looked to Sparky, golden scales shimmering in the sun. He had never thought of himself as trainer material before, but just then, the thrill of battle—it had been exhilarating. Maybe he was selling himself short.
And maybe, just maybe, there was a way to get to Olivine after all.
