When Lightning Strikes

Past: Desert Heat

"Hey, Cooker," Cissel said, smiling. "Going to the beach?"

"I'd be an idiot if I didn't, yo." He gave Reeda an odd look. "Arceus, you gotta be boilin' in those."

"I run kinda cold," Reeda lied. "The only reason my basement's so cold is because of Fang's help."

"Ice behind the fan trick?"

"What else are you expecting?"

"Come on guys," Cissel cut in. "At this rate we'll be the last people there, so you two squabble all you want but with forward motion."

"Gee Cece," Cooker complained, but he decided to move forward all the same.

Reeda started to get hot. The ice was melting under her coat, making her humid inside. The only thing keeping her going was the ice pack on the back of her neck, but even then she knew it wouldn't last that much longer.

When they got to the beach, the whole of Team Skull had over run the place. They were all in the water floating and swimming, and the boss himself was there too. Floating on an innertube, his shades down over his eyes.

Even in the heat, Reeda thought he looked like a dork in the get up.

She knew she was the stupid one though. A coat and pants in hot weather, and not even going in for a swim.

"You sure you're not going to swim, Reeda?" Cissel asked. "You really look like you could use a cool off."

"I'm fine, really."

'Liar,' Reeda thought to herself. She knew she was red and sweating.

"Alright..." Cissel dropped her things off and let her pokemon out, revealing an Alolan Ninetales and a Togedemaru. They cheered and ran into the water to play with all the other pokemon, as did Cooker's pokemon. Squeak didn't want to budge, but Fang went off knowing he could trust his battle partner.

She couldn't be left alone anymore.

Reeda sat in the shade on the beach, trying to stay out of the sun. Her head hurt, and the ice had melted and the water made her coat humid. The sand was hot too.

Everything was hot.

Reeda watched them all keep cool in the water. She saw them splash about, the water making diamonds out of thin air. The splashing water became sand whipping around Reeda. Their cheers were the wind howling. The sun beat down on her.

'... Haina Desert?' Reeda thought sluggishly. 'No... this is the beach... there's water right in front of me or... is that an oasis?'

A gust of wind tried to shove her down. A stream of sand hit her cheek... or was it Squeak checking on her? Why was Squeak out with her in the desert... or was it still the beach?

"I'm okay..." Reeda wheezed. "Squeak, I'm okay... we're still at the beach right?"

She heard voices. Muffled cries of pokemon in the sand... one was loud and booming though.

"Squeak... I don't think... this is... I don't..."

A shadow engulfed Reeda, and before she lost herself to the desert, she couldn't help but agree with one thing.

Tapu Bulu really had come to wipe her off the face of the earth.

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The grunts were still playing in the water when one of them heard a pokemon crying. Cooker looked over and saw Squeak trying to shake Reeda. She fell to one side, unmoving.