Those Left Behind

In the beginning of PM Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, there is an implied shipwreck. This is what happened to two certain crew memebers... (Words: 4004. No current plans to make any additions to this story. These characters are not necessarily going to go away...) Please point out mistakes and such, or just general pointers, it's always appreciated!

Spoiler: The Story!

Whoa! Wh-wh-whoa!
Are... Are you ok?!

CRACK!

No! Don't let go!
Just a little longer... Come on! Hang on!

CRACKLE!

N-n-no! I can't... hold on...!

CRACK! BANG! CRACKLE!

Waaaaah!

___,,,;;;,,,___

"Hey, Harvey, how long we been out here?"

"'Bout 2 days since the storm."

"Any signs of land yet?"

"Nope. Not besides that giant cliff we crashed into."

"Dammit."

"Come on, April," Harvey said sympathetically. "At least our clothes dried out." Red filled his face, remembering the awkward moment when he had suggested to... well... It was so they didn't get hypothermia, okay?!

April grumbled, and folded her arms. Even this small action shifted the piece of wreckage they were floating on. They had a few cans of beans, and a gallon of water to split between themselves.

"Any signs of the other crew?" April asked.

"Well, if you'd like, I'll describe everything I can see. I see water, water, salt, and more water."

"Salt?" April asked, not sure what he meant.

"Yeah. On our clothes, on the raft, you..." Harvey slowly let the last word fade, with a small amount of purpose.

"Oh. Har-de-har har." April sarcastically responded. "You're so funny, Harv."

"Thanks!" Harvey said grinning, taking the complement despite the obvious sarcasm.

"Oh, shut up." April replied with a sneer. She then sighed, thinking about her crewmates.

The raft was silent, the only noise from the waves slowly lulling the raft forward.

"You know, really, the irony is sickening." April said eventually. "I can imagine the headline now: Team Aqua ship Destroyed in Storm; No Survivors."

"Don't say things like that!" Harvey scolded April. "...We're going to get out of this."

"Yeah, sure, and I can teach my Mankey Fly." April retorted.

"Oh, whatever. I'm opening a can, do you want some or not?"

"What do you think?"

"Good. More for me then."

"Harvey!"

"You know, for someone who's given up-"

"Finish that sentence and I'm shoving you off the raft." April said, hey teeth gritted as she pushed up her sleeve.

"Fine, fine! I'll share." Harvey pulled his pocket knife out, and slowly cut through the top of the can. He split the contents of the can between them in two empty cans they had already finished, and started eating his. If by, "eating," one meant drinking beans like a smoothie. Like a really thick, bean-tasting smoothie.

"How can you stand to eat them like that?!" April chuckled lightly, using a bent top of a can as a spoon. "This way is so much more... eloquent."

"My Poochyena eats more eloquently." Harvey replied, taking another "sip." "Besides. I don't want to cut my tongue."

"I've only done it once!" April replied, taking another spoonful. "...twice. Ow."

Harvey gave her an unamused face.

"Oh, shut up." April huffed, annoyed. "I'm still gonna do it, and there isn't anything you can do to stop me."

"I could throw the spoon into the ocean." Harvey said, raising an eyebrow.

"And I could throw you into the ocean, to go get it. Kapice?"

"Whatever you say, Archie."

"Hey! Don't make fun of the commander like that!"

"This is the guy who literally said he was going to suplex Kyogre." Harvey said, snickering. "I believe I'm entitled to make fun of him a little bit." Fright slowly overtook Harvey's face "Oh man, what are we going to tell him when we get back?!"

"If we get back." April said bitterly.

"He's gonna kill us!" Harvey yelled. "We had one job! 'Go, find the Aqua-monica, and bring it back here.' Oh man..."

"Are you seriously worrying about some dumb harmonica right now?" April asked, dumbfounded.

"Well..." Harvey trailed off.

"If you haven't noticed, WE ARE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN, WITH NO HOPE OF RESCUE. I believe we have a bit more to worry about then some Arceus-damned instrument, Harv." The whole thing had come out harsher than April meant it to be, but she didn't particularly care.

Harvey was silent, and looked down to the raft. April looked at him angrily, expecting some sort of hopelessly optimistic comment. "...We really aren't going home, are we?" Harvey looked up to April, tears welling in his eyes.

April was stunned. "H-Harvey..."

"Be honest, April." Harvey said, his voice cracking. "What... what are the odds of rescue coming, or us finding land?" Tears started streaming down Harvey's face, as sobs racked his body. "Hell, even if we do find land, who's to say it's not just some deserted island?"

"Har-" April tried to interject.

"Or, say what if a boat finds us, but it's going all the way to Kanto or something?!" Harvey said hysterically.

"Ha-"

"Or, just maybe-"

"Harvey!"

Harvey's head snapped up to April, filled with rage. Slowly, his face morphed into a look of fear, and then into sadness. They both moved to the center of the raft; April held the sobbing man in her arms, trying not to do the same.

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...Blah blah blah, yada yada yada, legal stuff I'm required to say," A chorus of laughter broke out at the line, "... And yeah. Welcome to Team Aqua. Now, if you will all excuse me, I have to go practice fighting." With that, Archie stepped down from his podium, and Shelly stepped back up.

"Alright. Head to your dorms, people. You were all assigned a number room, so go and find it, okay?"

___,,,;;;,,,___


"Harrison. Harrison Adams." The young man, little over 18 stuck his hand out. He was wearing the typical team aqua outfit; black striped shirt, blue pants, blue Aqua bandana... What stuck out about him was his stupidly happy expression, and his white-gray eyes.

"...Uh... April? April Madison." The similarly-aged woman slowly took his hand. She essentially wore the same outfit, but they had run out of the new-style uniform; she was wearing an older designed uniform, mostly the same, but the shirt was a deep navy instead of black, along with the bandana. Her short, red hair sticking out of her bandana was... Surprisingly common in Team Aqua. Go figure.

Harrison vigorously shook it, surprising April. "Nice to meet you, Miss Madison! It's going to be great working with you, Mam!"

"Woah, Woah!" April said with a chuckle. "Chill with the 'Miss' and the 'Mam.' Just, call me April."

"...So, guess we're sharing this room then?" April commented, taking time to observe the small room.

"Yep! Room 288! ...right?" He averted his eyes bashfully, and scratched his neck.

"You're hopeless, shorty." April said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, who are you calling small?" Harrison replied, his ever-present smile dissipating.

"Maybe the shortest person in the room? AKA you?" The smile seemed to have transferred over to April's face, as she was now grinning like an idiot. She was, in fact, half a head taller than him.

"Well maybe... I... Uh..." He tried to retort, but his rage dissipated quickly. "Give me a sec, I'll think of something..."

"Listen, kiddo. Stick with me and you'll go far. Besides, I don't want to be at war with my roommate."

"R-really?" He said, looking up to his roommate. His eyes were filled with hopes, dreams, and pure innocence.

"Oh my Arceus, kid, lay off with the puppy-dog eyes." She then said aside to herself, "You're ripping my soul out here..."

Seemingly unaware of what she said, Harrison continued. "Is that a yes?!" He said with an absurd optimism.

The sheer dorkiness of this kid was going to be the death of her... "Yes, it's a yes."

"OHMYGODTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTH-"

"Kid... Crushing... Can't... Breath..." Somehow, despite his diminutive stature, he had managed to pick the girl up, and almost crush her in a hug.

Realization covered his face, as he set her down."O-o-oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to-"

April had caught her breath at this point. "It's... It's okay kid. Just, next time, warn a gal before you almost crush her. Also.." she added on seductively, a slight grin to her face, "If you wanted to shove my boobs in your face, all you had to do was ask~"

That the him for a loop. "Wh-wha... Oh. OH. I-I-I DIDN'T MEAN TO, I'M SORRY, I JUST- YOU JUST- I-"

April couldn't hold her laughter back. She had one of those loud, contagious laughs, bold and sincere. "Oh my... I'm just messing with you! You're way too easy to fluster!"

Harrison just looked at the floor, his face Cheri Berry red.

Once April's laughter had died down, she looked at him while wiping a tear. "Seriously, though, watch it with those hugs. Your face is already dangerously close to boob-eye level."

All Harrison could manage was to nod.

___,,,;;;,,,___


"Oh! April!" Harrison ran over, excited.

"Yeah? What do you want?" April said, disinterested.

"I just got put on a mission! Can you believe it? A real mission!" He jumped up and down like a giddy little kid.

"Ay, good for you, Harry!" April said sincerely.

"...Harry?" Harrison asked, confused.

"Yeah, Harry. Like, short for Harrison?" April asked, not seeing the problem.

"...Eeehhh... I'm not really feeling it."

April's face scrunched up in confusion. "Really? I thought you would have been all over that."

"Nah. It just.... doesn't sound right."

"Hmm..." April said, rubbing her chin. "What about... Kid? That's pretty much what I call you anyway at this point."

Harrison's face was now scrunched, but more in annoyance. "I'm short, not young, April. You know how I feel about that name."

April huffed, and folded her arms. "You're no fun!"

"Yeah, I get that alot." He responded sarcastically.

April rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. Let's see here... how about... Harvey?"

"Harvey?" He said, "Where'd you get that?"

"I dunno." April shrugged. "I think I heard it somewhere. TV, maybe? What do you think?"

"...Harvey... I like it."

"Ay! Told you we'd find one!"

___,,,;;;,,,___


"Hey, April?" Harvey asked.

"Yeah, Harvey?" April asked, setting her book down.

"Is there... anyone you like?"

April snorted. "There's only two guys I can stand in this entire group: You, and Shelly."

"But Shelly's a girl..."

"Ha! She sure fooled me, with all that 'I'm gonna punch you' this, 'I'm gonna throw you off this ship' that. Honestly, she's more Archie-like than Archie!" She thought for a moment, before saying, "She isn't as dumb as most of the people around here, though. Honestly, dunno where this team would be without her."

"...You know, you never answered my question."

"Whadda ya mean?"

"You said you can't stand any guy besides me. 1)That doesn't mean you don't like them. 2) I don't actually know what way you, ahem, 'swing.' "

"Alright, alright." She said, rolling her eyes. He was always so easy to tease. "Listen, Harvey, I'm only gonna say this once: 1) As far as I know, I'm straight. 2)I don't like anyone as of yet. If I do, you'll be the first to know."

"Oh..." Harvey said, somewhere between happy and sad.

"What about you?"

"Wh-what?!" Harvey exclaimed, not expecting the question.

"Do you like anyone?"

"W-w-well..."

"Come on, spit it out, Harvey!"

"Yes! Okay? I do!" Harvey almost shouted. He then clasped his hand over his mouth, embarrassed.

"Oooohhhh~ Little Harv's got a Cru~ush!" April taunted.

"H-h-hey! Don't make fun of me for it..." He looked to the ground, obviously bugged by the comment.

"Oh, buck up, Harvey. You know I don't mean anything by it."

Harvey only looked to the ground, still embarrassed.

"...So, who's the lucky lady?" A grin slowly spread across her face. "Maybe I can help!"

"...I...uh..."

"...Unless it isn't a lady. I'm totally supportive of you if-"

"N-no!" He stuttered. "I'm not gay!"

"Then who is she?"

"..."

"Come on, Harv, you know you can trust me! Cross my heart."

"...Shelly. It's Shelly."

"...Oof. That's rough, buddy."

Harvey looked to the floor, like he wasn't going to say anything. Contrary to his posture, he spoke. "...What do you mean by that?"

"Weeellll... let's just say she may have told me something about how she feels for another certain person..."

"...Oh..."

"Yeah..."

Harvey looked to the floor, clasping his hands behind his back. He looked... Oddly relieved?

"...Hey, bud, I got some ice cream in the freezer. Want to share a bucket?" April asked. She didn't know what heartbreak was like, but she'll be damned if she didn't know how to fight it.

"...Yes." Harvey said, reluctantly.

April got the feeling that his reaction was just... Wrong. Then again, what did she know? "Come on, bud. You want rocky road, or mint c.c.?"

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...Yo, Harvey?" April asked her cohort, looking out the porthole in their room on the boat.

"Yeah, April?"

"...What was it like?"

"What was what like?"

"What was it like when you liked Shelly?"

"Oh..." Harvey said, and looked to the floor. "Well, it was kinda like... well..."

"...You don't have to say anything if you don't wan-"

"No." Harvey cut her off.He looked up to April, a smile on his face, yet a tear in his eye. " I want to say this."

"Every...Every time I looked at her, there was this... feeling in my chest. I just wanted to be with her. She clouded my thoughts; I couldn't stop thinking about her. I-"

"That's enough, Harv. That's all I needed." April sighed. "Besides, you look like you don't want to talk about it..."

"No, It... I'm fine." Harvey paused for a moment. "...Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, it's, uh, just for, uh, something I'm writing!"

Harvey was unconvinced. "You write?"

"Uh... yeah! You didn't-"

"April, do you like someone?" Harvey beamed. Revenge was going to be sweet. Despite him actually being frightened about the answer.

"Wh-what?! N-no! I-" April stuttered out

"Aww, our little April has a Cru~ush!" Harvey said, exactly the way she had done to him only a month before. He kept his smile, but there was an element of sadness behind it. April took no notice of it, though.

"Hey! I'm supposed to tease you, not the other way around!"

"So, who's the guy?"

"I'm not just-"

"Come on, I told you! You gotta tell me!"

"...Barry. It's Barry, ok?!" She said, obviously frustrated.

Harvey's grin faltered for a moment, but it returned. "Barry, eh? Well, last I checked, he didn't like anyone, so... he's all yours."

April had looked worried for a moment, but smiled after. "Thanks, Harv. Was worried there for a sec..." She chuckled a little, and

"Nah, you're..." Harvey paused, seemingly for no reason, his eye twitching, "...good to go."

April was tall for a girl. In fact, April was just tall in general, taller than Harvey at least. She ruffled his hair. "Alright, man. You're the best."

"Awkward friend hug?" Harvey offered, opening his arms. For a moment, he winced at the word 'friend.'

"Awkward... friend hug." April replied, the word friend being a lot more reluctant than either of them expected. Despite this, they both hugged each other, purposely trying to crush one another. Harvey had to tap out of the hug first. April let him go, and he stepped back. Neither looked at one another for a few moments.

"Well..." April said after some awkward silence that always followed the awkward hug, "I'm... gonna go... talk to Barry..."

"Yeah..." Harvey replied. For some reason, the awkward silence seemed more awkward than usual. April walked quickly out, slamming into the door before even opening it. Harvey was about to laugh, but a single death stare from April shut him up.

___,,,;;;,,,___


"Barry!" April cried out

"Whoa! Wh-wh-whoa!" Barry yelled, sliding off the deck to the railing

"Are... Are you ok?!" April yelled. Barry had managed to catch the railing, but his hands were wet, along with the rail.

CRACK!

"No! Don't let go! Just a little longer... Come on! Hang on!" April called, trying to make her way over to him.

CRACKLE!

"N-n-no! I can't... hold on...!" Barry yelled, his fingers slipping off the rail.

CRACK! BANG! CRACKLE!

"Waaaaah!"

"BARRY!!!"

___,,,;;;,,,___


CRASH! The whole ship shook, as it collided with the cliff.

"Waah!" Cried April, as she was thrown back to the rail. She fell back, back into the raging seas, bruising her back terribly.

She struggled to keep her head above the water, looking for something, anything to grab ahold of. She saw other people, her teammates, falling, jumping, drowning, swimming, dying...

Harvey.

Oh god, that loveable idiot. Where was he? Last she saw him was right before the storm hit...

She saw a piece of scrap metal floating in the ocean, and quickly swam over to it. She clambered onto the metal, only barely avoiding cutting herself on the sharp edges.

She looked around, seeing if there was anyone else. April couldn't see anyone through the fog and the rain.

"H-help! Ov-" a voice was cut off by an incoming wave. "...Over here!" The voice called out.

"Harvey?! Harvey!!!"

"April?! Wh-" His voice was drowned out, both literally and metaphorically by the waves.
"Harvey! I'm coming!" She tried using her arms to try and paddle the hunk of metal, unsuccessfully. "Harv! Keep swimming! Follow my voice! I'm trying to get to you!"

The man eventually made it onto the ship part, with a soaking blanket tied up at the top.

"Harvey!" April yelled, not sure if she was crying or if it was just the rain. After he set the "bag" down, she hugged him as hard as she could. If she hadn't been crying before, she was now.

"...don't scare me like that, Harv."

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...Hey, April."

Neither had spoken in the past... however long it had been. Harvey's voice was broken, and April's was only slightly better.

"Hey, Harvey."

They sat a little longer. They were still wrapped in each other's embrace, and neither wanted to move.

"How's your day been?"

"Pretty shitty. Yours?"

"Same."

The two chuckled a little, both taking enjoyment in their attempts to have a normal conversation.

"What was wrong with your day?" April asked.

"Eh, nothing really. I just sat around all day, it was pretty boring. The commander hasn't even thought about giving me another job, I can tell." He sighed. "...You?"

"Same. Just sat around all day. Pretty sure the commander's pissed at me for Arceus-knows-what this time."

Harvey chuckled. "You're always doing something to piss Mr. Archie off."

"For the last time, just call him Archie. He doesn't like the formalities."

"Heh, I know. It's force of habit."

"...Hey, Harv?"

"Yeah, April?"

"Do you think we'll make it home?"

"...No."

"...Hey Harv?"

"Yeah, April?"

"Do you think anyone will miss us?"

"...No."

"...Hey, Harv?" Tears streamed down her face.

"Yeah, April?" Tears streamed down his face.

"...Thanks for being the only one who cares."

"No problem, April."

"...Hey, April?"

"Yeah, Harv?"

"...Thanks for being the only one who cares."

"No problem, Harv."

___,,,;;;,,,___


"I spy, with my little eye-"

"The ocean."

"Man, Harv, you're good at this game!" April said sarcastically.

"Well, it's not like there was much else it could be." Harvey said, unimpressed.

"...Touché." April said, realizing he had a point.

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...35 bottles of beer on the wall, 35 bottles of beer-"

"Harvey, I swear, if you don't shut up right now I'm going to-"

"TAKE ONE DOWN, PASS IT AROUND, 34 BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL!"

"...When we find dry land, I swear to Arceus I'm going to punch you straight in the face."

Harvey laughed. "Your Archie is showing again."

"Why you little..."

"For the last time, I'm not little! ...I'm fun sized!"

"Keep telling yourself that, pipsqueak."

"Pipsqueak?!"

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...I don't spy, with my little eye, something red and obnoxious."

"Maxie's ego?"

"Ding ding ding!" April did some jazz hands, for emphasis. "We have a winner!"

___,,,;;;,,,___


April was asleep. There was a full moon out, and Harvey was looking out into the ocean. He found it beautiful, in a way. The way the moon reflected off the water, the occasional feebas or wailmer splashing up, the ripples made by their little scrap, floating with the current. It almost made him forget that they were stranded.

Harvey turned around, and looked at his sleeping companion. Her red hair was all snarled, and scattered about. She snored on occasion, something he found absolutely adorable.

Truth be told, he never liked Shelly. He had always had another girl on his mind... and here he was, stranded on a hunk of metal with her. Most likely going to die, Oh, the irony. Damn, that pun was awful. He always made puns in his head, but he never said them out loud; he was afraid people wouldn't like them. He especially never told April; he already did enough things to get on her nerves. He didn't want to screw up just because he made some terrible joke. Yeah, it was pretty stupid, but hey, every step counts. He kept staring at her, her beauty, her lack-of-grace, yet he found it all amazing. He loved April, he'd loved her from the start, and that would never change.

Barry. Now, that was an odd topic for him. He'd always liked Barry, and, well, he's... yeah. But he found it hard to feel bad. He had almost taken his April from him. It was almost a good riddance for him. Still, his conscience would never allow himself to hate Barry, and still felt bad. He just tried to avoid the topic, and April seemed okay with that.

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...That's the last one." Harvey said, putting the can in the pile along with the others. They didn't know what they were going to do with them, but they would figure something out if it came down to it.

They both took a solemn moment, letting the fact sink in.

They were out of food.

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...Are you completely, absolutely, 100% sure we can't drink seawater?" April asked, looking over the edge of their scrap heap of a raft.

"Not without rigging up some sort of evaporation thing." Harvey replied, melancholy.

"...Wait a minute," Harvey said, "if we put the jug like this, and use the tops of the cans like... this, then maybe..."

"Hey, that just might work! Nice going, short-stuff!"

"I guess you don't need water, then."

"I'm sorry! It's always hilarious to see your face whenever I call you short!" April whined. "Please! I need that to survive! Harvey...!"

___,,,;;;,,,___


Oh. Her. Arceus. Was Harvey... drooling?! There was absolutely no way this little dweeb could be more adorkable. His hair was a mess, he had literally fallen asleep in a matter of seconds, sleeping belly-down, and was now drooling. It was official: there was no possible way this dork could be more dorky.

April thought back about the past few days. A lot had happened, and to be honest, she had lost a lot of friends. But this wasn't what she was going to think about; she had already mourned each and every one of her friends at this point. It didn't stop a tear from welling up, but that was the extent of it.

...Barry? Really? Had she really said she liked Barry?! Yeah, he was a nice guy and all, but no. April looked to the sleeping form besides her. That huge dork. Her huge dork. Well, not yet, technically. But dammit, he was going to be hers one of these days, and that was that. There was no alternative.

Honestly, while the shipwreck may have been a tragedy, it was helping her ship sail.

Maybe she would tell him... she should. Definitely. Before they... you know. But it can wait. For now, she was content like this.

...Seriously, though. Barry?! Why him?!

___,,,;;;,,,___


"...I spy, with my little eye..." April's eyes widened. "Something white, and large!"

"...Hmm... a Wailord's stomach?" Harvey said, placing a hand on his chin.

"No, you idiot! A boat! We're saved!"

"What?! Where?!" Harvey frantically looked around.

"Right behind you! And it's heading straight for us!"

Sure enough, as Harvey turned around, he saw a boat on the horizon, slowly getting larger.

"We... we're saved!" exclaimed an ecstatic Harvey

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, dweeb!" April punched his arm lightly.

Harvey looked back to April, tears of joy in his eyes. He tried to think of what to say, but his face had said enough. A few "I"s, a couple "We"s, and the occasional "it" sputtered out of his mouth, but nothing longer than a single word.

"Don't worry, Harv." April said, feeling almost as joyous as he was. "I know what you mean."

"...awkward friend hug?"

"Awkward friend hug."

The crushing competition began, and ended as it usually did; Harvey completely out of breath with a back bruised, and April almost completely unscathed. This time, however, was slightly didn't. Most of them hadn't ended with both of them wishing it could have lasted longer, or that it was more than a hug...

Neither of them knew that, though, so they both tried to banish the thoughts as soon as they came. The customary awkward silence was twice as awkward, too. Even the words that eventaully broke it carried some awkwardness. What I'm trying to say here is that it was very awkward.

"S...So..." Harvey eventually said, "How, uh, are we, uh... how are we going to get the boat's attention?"

April hadn't thought about that. "Uhhh... Maybe we could bang some leftover cans together? Flail around a bit?"

"I guess we'll figure something out when it gets closer..." Harvey said, a little disheartened by her unsure reply.

"Alright." April agreed. "We'll cross that ocean when we get there."

"...Poor choice of words."

"Yep, just realized that."

___,,,;;;,,,___