”really? that’s impressive.” but what did she know about sailing? maybe only a little less than callan.

mudkip, feeling eyes on its back, stood even taller and leaned ever closer to the edge, becoming more aerodynamic.

”well.. i’ve actually never been fishing before.” nina pursed her lips and looked over at callan with a nod. ”i decided i’d just start off in the deep end.” she smiled. it’d always worked out well for her before.

her eyes cast back out across the seemingly endless expanse of water.

”i had a diving accident in the ocean last year. since then, i’ve been really fascinated with it. it’s weird, maybe, but,” she shrugged, ”i’m excited to learn.”

”what about you?”

Callan Young

didn’t lack for confidence? oh, but did she. behind the face of the well-trained actor was terror, constantly. it was only finally beginning to let up a little, since her change in lifestyle.

this was fun, she told herself. just a trip out on the water. she could even pretend it wasn’t with a nefarious purpose. and it was pretty crazy that he was famous. when she’d been looking for someone to teach her fishing, this had not been the opportunity she’d expected. some people just did it all.

the league? case in point.

”huh. well, good! it seems like you’d probably be pretty busy most of the time.”

she took the mask and fitted it on her face, not feeling so much like a superhero as he was, but rather like shark bait. memories began to return in an awful cloud, but she suppressed them as well as she could. with one look back to mudkip still at the side of the boat, she went in.

the cold of deep water sent a different kind of chill through her. she took a slow breath, looking out. spinning in a circle.

taking in the vast openness.

”um... it was a sharpedo attack. or... kind of. my friend’s garchomp saved me, but i lost my tank, and it exploded next to me and i almost drowned. it was pretty bad.” and it was still not how she’d gotten the scars.

”so... you’re a ranger?” aka he could fight off a sharpedo.

Callan Young

”thanks,” she laughed lightly. “they’re terrifying, but... gotta overcome your fears, right?” 

his first name was all she needed. callan young, the musician, as she'd suspected. ”i knew i’d seen you before. like, on a magazine or something.”

the water grew darker as they sank. mudkip, already unsatisfied with the job of guarding the boat, leapt down beneath the waves behind them.

when asked about her taste, nina had to pause and consider. it was a semi-successful distraction, but she was still spinning in slow circles, alert for any sign of movement through the murk.

“um... i like a lot of things.” the radio? but that didn’t seem like a good enough answer to give him. ”i like... old cheesy music, i guess. but i’ve been listening to more rock lately.”

”what about you?” she scrunched her brow at herself. was that a strange question to ask someone who made music? he probably liked the kind of music he was making. that was why he was making it, right?

Callan Young

”yeah, maybe.” definitely. it was common sense. maybe she was going crazy.

nina could relate to getting used to being recognizable. formerly a master of disguises, her heavily scarred features now made her easy to pick out from a crowd. her life had changed drastically.

as they sank lower and lower still into the darkness, she was nearly overwhelmed by the multitude genres he was throwing at her.

”classical is nice,” she commented. film contained a lot of classical music. she was drawn to the suspenseful piano of old horror.

to name a few, he said. she chuckled lightly, feeling a bit too underwhelming. ”that’s a lot, actually. i don’t know much about music, to be honest with you. maybe you could give me some recommendations.”

she watched his blastoise descend, admiring the speed at which it disappeared into the depths. one day, her wartortle would evolve into one.

”nina.” it felt weird to introduce herself by her real name, for once, to a normal(ish) person. a noncriminal—presumably. what was the point of hiding it anymore? ”nice to meet you.”

she looked over, just in time to see a gorebyss slither behind him—however, it was nearly too dark now to see it clearly enough to identify.

”callan, there’s something behind you,” she warned urgently. and behind it were more. three deep sea vampires began to circle them. maybe they were friendly?

mudkip yipped a warning, bubbles rising with its pipsqueak threats.

Callan Young

red hot chili peppers was a familiar name, at least, although she was pretty sure she could only recall one song off the radio. toe did not ring a bell. similarly, she had little idea what math could have to do with the music, but she decided she’d rather let it go than seem clueless.

”yeah, i will. thanks.”

the moment she might’ve smiled was stolen by their gorebyss predators; however, once it was clear that these were not sharpedos, it wasn’t fear that overtook her, though adrenaline was there. it was excitement, but callan was the teacher today, and his command was followed by a quick reach to her belt, and a flash of red light to pull her mudkip back into its ball.

when callan grabbed her hand, she held on tighter, unsure of what was about to happen. her heart pounded in her chest and in her ears, as she tried her best to follow the action, but it was difficult. everything was swirling so violently.

”woah,” she gasped, watching as the vortex pulled all ocean life upwards from around them.

once gyarados’ impressive wrath had ended, she parted from callan, feeling a blush rise to her face finally.

”um, yeah. i’m okay.” she sighed out her nerves, and then looked upward towards the haze of debris. ”what was that a HURRICANE? i’ve never seen one underwater before.”

mudkip's pokeball came out again, and she released the little axolotl, who appeared still clearly ready for a fight, squeaking angry bubbles and spinning in a search for opponents.

Callan Young

gyarados’ shadowy silhouette descending from above, at first, was a little startling. realizing soon enough by the shape that it was callan’s pokemon, her fear quickly faded. gyarados were such ferocious creatures. hopefully, one day, she would successfully train one herself.

if anything, seeing a gyarados up close and in action had been plenty worth coming out here into the middle of the ocean. if fishing didn’t happen that morning, there would be another good day for it. or, maybe five miles was not too far to travel.

”oh. okay.” she looked over. ”so... what now? back up to the boat?”

Callan Young