literature

King's Rock Island

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He was out at sea again. The ship rocked gently to and fro as he held on to the railing, a calm smile on his face. This was peace. He had forgotten what it was like to have only the wood of the ship between him and the crushing weight of the ocean. To know that the ship, so small compared to the vast water, was strong enough to withstand it. He only wished the First Mate was here to see it. His precious Nook.

“We’ll be reachin’ the shore soon, matey.” Hugo turned his slow smile on the sailor and nodded.

“Thank you, captain. Thanks for taking me on this journey too, I didn’t think anyone would agree to it,” Hugo said, his smile growing larger. True enough, it took quite some time to find a merchant willing to take him on one of their trading expeditions. It took longer to find someone heading to the island where the rocks were said to be. And then there was the awkward time when the crew realized it was more fitting to throw the Slowpoke overboard than have him manage to get in the way of their work any way imaginable without even trying.

The sailor left Hugo to stare out over the water and glimpse the island. He had forgotten what it was called, but he tried desperately to remember his leader’s words. He needed a King’s Rock to evolve, and something else. He sighed as the thought slipped him. Oh well, he would get it as time went on.

The ships’ anchor was released, and Hugo headed over towards the small rowboat the crew had allowed him to take on. They had adequate enough boats to take him to the island they had said, but Hugo liked his little boat and he knew he couldn’t row theirs by himself. They had to agree once seeing his flabby arms.

He, which was his nature, managed to disrupt four different sailors as the prepared the ship to remain motionless at sea as the awaited him on his mission. Oblivious to the muttered curses and the kicks that just happened to miss him, he stood next to his boat as three burly sailors hoisted it over the edge. “Now, matey, you’ll be headin’ straight to yonder island without turnin’ away, I’ve been ordered ta make sure you return to Tarqua in one piece,” the Captain said, standing next to him again.

“Yes sir, captain,” Hugo replied, clambering into his boat as it rocked dangerously on the ropes keeping it up alongside the ship. The Captain leaned down and held out a pouch for Hugo to take.

“Here be the pearl you’ll be wantin’ to give to them creatures that guard the king’s rocks. Don’t know what’ll happen to ye, but evolving be a strange thing no matter which way you go about it,” he said, straightened back up and peering down at Hugo. The Slowpoke wasn’t much to look at, but he had enough dumb determination to make up for the lack of other useful qualities.

Hugo took the small bag and saluted to the Captain, his smile never wavering. The sailors hoisted him down and with a plunk, he was floating in the water. He picked up the oars and began the rhythmic rowing, angling himself towards the island.

---

All was quiet as his little boat pulled up onto the beach. He looked around for something to tie it too, then shrugged when he found nothing and straightened, looking around. He had been to several such islands before, but First Mate always had him stay on ship just in case he got lost. It was reasonable enough, Hugo thought, but he’d have liked to go exploring.

Now on an island all alone, he was able to go where he pleased. He began walking along the shore, and then remembered the little bag in his hand. He loosened the string and peered inside, seeing the smooth surface of a decent sized pearl. He had to give this to the guardians of the king’s rocks, right? He looked up, the sun beating down on him pleasantly. Wherever these guardians were, he didn’t mind if it took him all day to find them. It was a nice enough day.

He never kept track of how much time goes past. He simply put one foot in front of the other, and once it got dark, he’d make his way to his little shelter at the docks. So this, of course, was what happened here on this far off island, although Hugo hoped he wouldn’t have to spend the night here. As he followed the shoreline, he came to a formidable looking cave. But Hugo, having no such knowledge of the dangers these places may hold, smiled pleasantly and meandered on in.

He was instantly greeted with darkness, and he fumbled in his handy bag to find a light. Striking a match, the flame flared up, illuminating a small tunnel that ended in water. Would he have to swim? That was all right, if there was one thing he could do, it was swim.

He dove into the tunnel, not at all concerned that he was once again plunged into darkness. Being a water type enabled him to take these sort of risks in water as it would be a long time indeed when he needed to come up for air. But of course, if he wasn’t a water type, he’d still dive in head first anyways.

It was a long and dark way in, and as soon as unfamiliar panic was just setting in, his head emerged with a gasp. He looked around, rubbing his eyes, and found that he was in a large cavern. He blinked, once, twice, then a scuttling to his left alerted him that he wasn’t alone. He pulled himself out of the water, and on his knees he looked to the far side of the cavern.

“You have my pearl?” As Hugo’s eyes adjusted, he was able to make out a dark, but pointy shape.

“Umm, yes, yes I do,” he said, giving the shape his nice smile. He took out the now soggy bag, and shook out the pearl onto his outstretched hand. He held it up and said in his most gracious tone, “Here you go.”

Nothing moved for a while, and then a smaller dark shape moved towards Hugo, it’s gait a bit weird. Hugo watched it, and soon he realized it was just a pokemon. He didn’t remember what it was called, but he held out the pearl and it snapped it’s mouth shut tight over it, almost taking Hugo’s hand a well. It shuffled back to the shape that was certainly the guardian of the King’s Rocks.

“I was told that the pearl would be traded for a King’s Rock?” He wasn’t too worried if this wasn’t true. He didn’t really need to evolve. But something was nagging at the back of his head, something that was bothering him for a long time. He had a hard time understanding, and he thought that evolving would make him stronger, more capable. That’s what everyone said at least.

“At your feet,” the deep rumbly voice said. Hugo watched it shuffle away as if showing him his back as it stared at the beautiful pearl. Hugo looked down obediently, and realized his feet almost got cut by these sharp rocks. He smiled, realizing he was glad this was working, and picked up one of the rocks. It was smooth, and oddly shaped like a crown. He supposed that’s where they got their names. Now what, he thought.

A quick movement behind him and a sudden one second warning of danger crossed his mind, but then a sharp and heavy pain landed on his head. He made a startled cry, the rock falling from his hands as he reached for whatever was on his head. He stumbled forward, on foot grazing a sharp rock, and he fell to his knees as it felt like knives stabbing into his skull. He brain was wracked with pain, and he could barely keep his eyes open, the dark swirling all around him.

Then all went blissfully black.

---

He didn’t remember leaving the cave, and could barely recall climbing unsteadily into his little boat. He was hoisted up onto the ship to congratulations and pats on the back. The Captain’s face appeared in front of him, ushering him to his cabin. All that he registered was the constant pain of his head. But with the pain, brought clarity.

He sat on his bunk, his arms wrapped around his knees. He didn’t feel what was on his head, but knew it to resemble a crown made out of rock, small eyes peering out of the back of it. He was now a Slowking, His mind had never felt so clear. He had never been able to make perfect sense of what was going on. He felt something seeping into his brain, perhaps from the thing on his head. Whatever it was, he was sure it was the cause for his sudden clarity.

He now understood what had happened with First Mate. He now understood why he left. He knew why he never managed to open a shop. He realized that he was afraid, afraid of rejection. He even understands the mess he’s gotten in with a fellow Delcatty merchant.

With all this clarity, he realized that he wasn’t sure he wanted to be a Slowking. He laid his head on his knees, heavy with the crown, and cried.
:iconpokemon-ginjinkasrp:

Hugo's evolving missions ahha I meant it to be funny but it just turned sad.
I am a horrible writer. :iconcryforeverplz:
But pfft you read how Slowpoke's evolve into Slowking's its painful.
Will upload his evolved pic soon

Hugo (c) *RobotsWithCookies
Pokemon (c) Nintendo
© 2013 - 2024 RobotsWithCookies
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ForestRabbit's avatar
D'waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! :cries: