Fiery Lands and Stormy Seas (Pokemon Watty Award Winner 2014)

Chapter 1

CHRIS

"Six skips." Chris smiled as he watched the smooth stone skip across the shimmering waters. Marshtomp went right up to a larger, twenty pound rock and hurled it into the sea. No skips this time, just a big splash. Chris couldn't contain his laughter at Marshtomp, and the blue Pokemon knocked his Spirit Partner into the shallow, salty tides.

Slateport's beach to the south of the village and his home was Chris's favorite place to be, but being a Prince wasn't as easy as it appeared to be. His mornings were spent studying histories, his mid-afternoons were filled with spear and sword training. His evenings were the worst. He hated attending the nightly courts with his mother, Lady Luna Love. The talk of fishermen and trade and politics bored him to no end.

Today was a rare day that Prince Chris Marsh of Slateport was able to have his own time at the beach. He heard a sweet little laugh behind him. He turned and smiled at his little sister, Princess Lily Marsh, playing in the sand. They had guards stationed everywhere, but always five-year-old Lily was happy as can be. She never went anywhere without her Egg.

The Egg was to hatch into a Mudkip, who she would surely form a Spirit Bond with. The Marsh family was a Great House after all. Chris remembered when his Egg had hatched into a Mudkip, who had since evolved into Marshtomp seven years ago. His egg had only taken one and a half years to hatch. Then again, some eggs needed more time than others.

"I wish I could spend my life here, boy," he said to Marshtomp, whose head fin sliced through the water as his Spirit Pokemon gracefully swam through the shallows. The Water Pokemon spit a fountain of salt water into the air. "Please don't evolve."

I don't plan on it, was the look Chris received from his Spirit Pokemon. Chris Marsh knew that when the day came and Marshtomp evolved into Swampert, he would be crowned King of Slateport. With a Kingship came responsibilities, and the thought absolutely bored Chris.

Chris often snuck out of the wooden hall that made for Slateport's palace to visit friends he had among Slateport's Citizens. Among his friends was a warrior-in-training, Ryan, and a fisherman's son, Hector. He wouldn't see them tonight, though. They would be having visitors.

Chris and Marshtomp climbed out of the shallows to dry on the sand. The warm sun beat down on his bare chest. His skin was darkened from his time in the sun, and the air was cool as the water evaporated off of his lean yet muscular figure. Marshtomp fell asleep there on the soft beach.

It wasn't yet ten seconds before Chris heard the familiar shuffle of little feet in the sand. His little sister had cutely ran up to him, her Mudkip egg seemingly enormous in her little hands.

"It hasn't hatched yet," Princess Lily Marsh said. She handed it to her older brother of nineteen years. "Listen to it, brother, how much longer?"

Chris smiled and put his ear up next to the Egg, pretending to listen. Lily still thought that he could talk to the unborn Pokemon inside, so why crush her little dream? "'Not today, Lily,' little Mudkip says," he told her. "If you're good tonight, maybe tomorrow." Lily sat down on the sand and began to massage Marshtomp's orange cheeks, much to the Water Pokemon's delight.

"I promise I'll be good. I can wait as long as I have to for my Spirit Pokemon," she said. There was nothing more important to Chris than his little sister. As long as she was happy, he was happy too.

Chris observed the sun in the sky, it was getting late. "Come, Lily," he said. "Being good means being on time and ready for our guests tonight. Mother won't like it if we're late."

The Prince of Slateport playfully sprinkled sand on Marshtomp's head to wake it up. He put his little sister under one arm and her egg in the other like one would carry a ball, and began to dash back from the beach, Marshtomp following behind.