Chapter 14

To Friendly of a Friend on the S.S. Anne

I walked across the docks, looking around for the ship I saw before. Finally after walking a few hundred yards I came to a ship that was massively taller than the rest, with S.S. Anne painted on the side. I looked at it in awe. I almost couldn't believe that I was going to ride a ship like that. And I also couldn't believe that Bill passed up this opportunity to ride on this awesome looking thing!

I handed my ticked to the man at the gate of the boat and was about to board when, "OUFF!" I yelled, falling to the ground. I looked up and saw the same two preppy girls from before, who were all over me, now trampling right over me. They stopped to turn to look at me, giving me a look like, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe that guy just did that!" and then turned and ran off to this man in a business suit. "Hmm," I thought, "as soon as I'm away from my bike they don't even recognize me. That is good I suppose."

The gatekeeper helped me up. "Are you okay young man?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said, popping my neck. "I'm fine. Thanks for helping me up."

"Your very welcome." He answered, nodding and waving me on.

I walked up the bridge that led to the boat. On board there was a massive ball room as you first walked in. Thousands of people were in there, but the room was so big that it made it look like it was almost empty. I walked over to one of the many punch tables, and found a stack of maps. It's sad that a boat is so big that they have to make maps for it. When looking at the map I saw a swimming pool, gambling area, pokemon training lounge, and even an ice skating rink. There was so much stuff on this ship I couldn't figure out how the crazy thing could even float. I turned the map over and looked at how many rooms there were for people that went on the average cruse, which was well over one hundred on every floor.

I thought for a minute. Was the cruse ticket for a whole cruse? Then I remembered that Bill told me once a year the S.S. Anne docks and takes a small few hour cruse from Vermilion to Fuschia and back. "That's good." I thought. "I really don't want to spend to much time on this boat anyway."

"Thank you for boarding the S.S. Anne." An old mans voice said, coming from the intercom located in every corner of the ballroom. "We are now departing from Vermilion City. If you would like to view the ocean you are welcome to make your way to the deck at any time. Once again, thank you for boarding the S.S. Anne. We will be back in Vermilion in a few short hours." The intercom clicked, and went silent.

I look at the map I made, trying to find my way to the pokemon battling portion of the ship. I figured that while I was here I might as well get some experience in.

* * *

"Finally," I said, as I put my hand on the door to the battling room. I had been searching for this room for almost an hour. Yes the ship was impressive, but the map was so difficult to read that I had already went into a womens bathroom, the boxing area, and even a disco dance floor trying to find this one room. I opened the door and found myself in the captain's office. "Not again!" I screamed as I kicked the wall. "What the crap! I have been walking around this boat for an hour and have found nothing!"

"Well, hehe." An old man's voice said. It sounded so familiar, but I couldn't point out from where I had heard it before. "You have found me!"

I turned to see an old man behind me, sitting behind a desk. "Who are you?" I asked.

"Well, hehe, I am the captain!" He chuckled in a girly kind of laugh.

"So that's where I heard it before," I thought to myself. That man was the one on the intercom when I first got on the boat.

"I guess I did." I said in a hesitant voice. "I'm looking for a battle area," I said looking away. "Do you know where it is?"

"I know where lots of fun stuff is." He said with a smile. "But I am just too sick to do anything. Do you think you could help me?"

I kinda shuttered when he asked me. "What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Nothing too much," He said. "Just play a little game of 'Rubbums'."

"No thanks." I said as I walked out.

"No!" He called out as he ran towards me. "I'll show you where it is, but you gotta rub on my back later." He said as he put his hand on my shoulder. "Okay?"

I pushed his hand off. "Just show me where it is."

"Oh! Feisty, I like that!" He said as he led me to a big door. "Its right in here."

I opened the door and was blinded. It was bright, really bright. And I felt a breeze go across my face. I could smell salt in the air, and knew right away that I wasn't inside the boat anymore.

"WHAMMM!" I jumped and saw the captain slam the door and lock it.

He walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder again. "This is my private deck. There is only one way in, and now we are all alone."

I moved away quickly.

"Would you like to play with my boat?" He pointed to a control room in front of us. "In there is how I run the S.S. Anne. If you give me a rubbin I'll let you play with it."

I reached for the pokeball around me neck and held it in my hand. Just incase anything happens I'd like to know that my pokemon are right there.

"Shut up, old man." I said as I walked over to the side of the ship. "If you even think about trying anything I'll kick your…" I stopped what I was saying. Out in the distance I saw a small pickup truck setting on a small island right in the middle of the ocean. Even though that was strange what really shook me was that there was a person on there, and not just any person, it was Shonna!

"We need to stop the boat!" I screamed at the captain.

"Why, my dear boy?" He asked as he put his hand on the lower part of my back.

I grabbed his neck collar and held him off the ground. "My friend is out there on that island, we need to pick…"

He cut me off, "Your friend?" He said. "Is your friend, well, is he younger or older?" he started smiling from ear to ear.

Him? I thought, It was a her. I paused before I let him down and said, "Younger."

"Oh boy, oh boy!" He screamed as he ran as fast as he could to the control room. The boat took off at full speed. The drastic change in acceleration made me fall over on the deck. As I was standing up, the boat came to a sudden stop, which threw me to the other side, making me fall on the deck again. I raised up again and saw Shonna standing on the island looking up at the ship oddly.

"How'd you manage to get way out here?" I asked looking over the edge of the ship.

"It's a long story!" She cried out. "Do you think you could help me off this island?"

"Maybe," I said as I looked around for something to use. There were several life rafts laying on the ground, and one little dinky life ring. "Oh this will be good." I said to myself as I threw it into the water. "That's all there is!" I screamed to her. "Get situated in it and I'll pull you in!"

"What? You've got me be kidding me! Surely you've got something better than that!" she cried.

"Nope sorry, that's it!" I sheepishly lied.

She hesitantly got in the life ring and I slowly pulled her in. The captain was watching as I flexed my muscles pulling on the rope. He looked like he might have a heart attack.

I hoisted her up over the side and chuckled as I saw a Magikarp on her toe.

"What?" She asked.

"You might want to watch that first step." I said pointing down at her foot.

"AHHH!" She screamed, shaking the fish off her foot. "Stupid Magikarp!" She then stopped and looked behind me. "Kyle! There are three life rafts behind you!"

I turned, looking behind me. "Oh," I said. "Whoops, I must have missed them." I said. Of course I couldn't tell her that she looked really hot when she was all wet, and that was the only reason I 'missed' the life rafts.

"Oh, hi!" The captain screamed running up behind us. "Would like to play with my…" He paused, looking at Shonna. "Oh." He said, in a sulking way. "You're a girl."

"Yes, and I'm a guy." I said as I looked at Shonnas chest. "Get it?" I said in a harsh voice as I turned back to the captain.

"I guess." He said as he sulked over to the door, unlocked in, and walked back inside.

"What's with him?" Shonna asked.

How could I say that? I thought. She is only 12, and seems really sheltered. I really don't want to explain what some words mean.

"He's weird." I said looking away. "Just, try not to talk to him."