"Morning."
"Good morning Ash."
Amelia was genuinely happy to see him again. Having breakfast together was a great way to start her day. She almost became sad at the idea this would be one of their last few together as the cruise came to an end. She had so much fun with Ash she wondered if he ever would like to go on another cruise with her if she asked him.
"So what do you have planned for us?"
"Since the ball is tomorrow I figure I'd make one last round around the ship to see if I missed a shiny. Want to come with me or do you want to do something else like practice your Performance?"
Ash did want to make sure he took a photo of every rare Pokémon onboard for his research fellows. Better safe than sorry and he wondered if the Performer wanted to accompany him even when did it before. Amelia didn't mind and she was glad to come with him. Ash relieved she didn't find him boring at repeating an activity suggested they'd maybe go play at the pool later with the Pokémon.
"Wonder how he will respond to me in a swimsuit?" She blushed at the thought of trying to seduce him. Shaking the idea out of her head she was really starting to gather a liking to the boy as more then just a friend even if she barely got to know him.
Her aid Alfonzo suggested maybe she'd go looking for her future husband on it to inherit the company her family owned in the future. Ash didn't seem to have a mind for numbers but he certainly possessed a charisma in getting others attention to suave his way to a great deal.
"Amelia?" She saw him look at her.
"Is there something on my face because you keep staring at me."
"Sorry. Just dreaming about Showcases. And not you."
After finishing breakfast the two walked over the ship in search of more shinies. Coming up onto the top deck of the ship they came across the largest group of shiny Pokémon gathered. All of them together it was the largest collection so far onboard as their trainers and a photographer lined them up for a group shot. At Ash's begging Amelia took out her Dragonair and it moved to the designated spot in the back as it was the largest Pokémon in the group.
"Is that a shiny Pikachu too?" The photographer eyed Ash's Pikachu even if it wasn't a shiny. A shiny Pikachu's fur didn't differ much from a normal one but the more told them it wasn't a shiny.
"Just stand over there!" The photographer set Pikachu down at the front next to Noctowl as it was one of the smaller Pokémon in the shot. The photographer ran back to his camera and was ready to take the shot.
"Now everybody, say Pokémon!" The photographer asked them all as they smiled and said their names. From behind them a large net swallowed up every Pokémon in the shot and trapped them.
"Pikachu, Noctowl!"
Every trainer imitated Ash's response as the Pokémon were all being pulled over the edge down to the sea. The photographer jumped overboard as Ash was the first one to run to the edge to see what's going on. A giant splash of water rising up coming from the sea made him wet as he washed back and saw what caused it. A giant bird like Pokémon with a massive yellow bill and beak with green tips on its wings and feet.
"It's a Dynamaxed Shiny Pelipper!" Someone called out at the sight of the Pokémon. Dynamaxing believed to be impossible in Kanto the ship might be over a power spot more common in Galar. From the top of the Pokémon's head the green crest got opened.
"Prepare for trouble"
"And make it double"
Going through the motions Ash knew it as they finished the motto.
"Team Rocket!"
"Who are they?" The Pokémon Performer from Kalos wasn't well known with the group as everyone else watched on.
"They're a group of bad guys who always try to steal other people's Pokémon!" As Ash told her Amelia grew a scowl.
"Despicable."
"Thanks for all the rare Pokémon! Looks like our futures are shiny bright!" Meowth told them all as he was already counting the wealth and promotions on his paws by delivering all these rare Pokémon to the boss.
"That Dragonair will be better taken care off in the hands of a real artist!" Jessie already made her claim on Amelia's Dragonair. The Performer herself looked up to the robot not believing her words.
"You!? An artist!? Even finger painting seems out of reach for you!"
"Do whatever you want loser! This robot is solar powered! Thanks to all the sunny weather the crew creates we got it fully charged!" Jessie told them about their machine. With almost an entire week of collecting power from the sun they had enough to fly around the world a few times over.
"Give them back!"
"We've done this so many times you know we won't! Bye" The three criminals yelled as the robots wings started to blow a massive wind. It had propellers installed in its wings so it could fly without rockets. Ash got up and ran right for the giant metal beak.
"What are you doing Ash!?" Amelia screamed at him as she saw him leap right into the robots mouth. The propeller wings got to strong as it blew everyone on the deck away as the giant metal Pelipper took flight. The machine grew smaller in the distance as the crew shouted to change course and chase after it.
Ash fell on the net holding all the Shiny Pokémon that Team Rocket stole.
"Pikachu, Noctowl!" He climbed all over it until he found his yellow and gold friend sticking out in front of the net.
"There you guys are." Ash heard the mutters and the other Pokémon that weren't his more scared as they weren't used to this kidnapping thing.
"Don't worry. I'm getting all of you out." He assured every last one of them as he grabbed two Pokeball from his belt.
"Gengar, I choose you!" The Ghost type with a large grin looked around him confused where they were. Seeing Pikachu and Ash's other owl Pokémon trapped in a net his large grin dropped a little.
"Gengar, get into he cockpit above us and Shadow Ball everything in there you can." The Ghost type nodded as his trainer gave him full permission to terrorize the unlucky people. Gengar phased through the ceiling of the beak as Ash returned Noctowl in his Pokeball through the net. He immediately released him again giving it full use of its wings.
"Use Air Slash!" Noctowl flapped his wings and razor sharp blades cut through the net releasing the Pokémon. Ash felt a giant shockwave move through the machine which knocked him and the Pokémon over. They felt a heavy impact as some were dazed but Ash and Pikachu crawled out of it seeing the damage Gengar did.
Ash floated on the bottom half of the Pelipper body and beak while the cockpit of the machine drifted away with the three occupants a bit more groggy from the hard impact and pranks the Ghost type pulled.
"Great job Gengar!" Ash praised his Ghost type as Pikachu stood on the edge of the beak. Time to end it as they always do.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
"You're not going to zap us here! You'll just zap yourself and all the other Pokémon!" James said as the water would conduct the electricity and hit the machine which served as their raft too. Pikachu stopped charging power as the three snickered. They knew the twerp too well to just let him hurt an innocent Pokémon.
Ash felt something push him aside. A tiny horn pricked him in the arm as he looked to see who did it.
"Dragonair?" The shiny Dragonair raised its head as the water they were in began to whirl. The speed quickly picked up and a small tornado began to lift the three out of it.
"That's your Twister!" Ash recognized the move thanks to watching Amelia practice yesterday. With them no longer in the water Ash and Pikachu both had clear game to do what they do best.
"Now Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Pikachu gathered up his power and launched a bolt of lightning up high. The three got hit and the yellow outline covered all of them. Hearing the screaming of the thieves s they were launched away. Ash as usual couldn't make out what they're saying but for the last part.
"We're blasting off again!" The last trace they left was a twinkle in the sky. Gone now every Pokémon was safe for now as they still were on the floating debris. He just had to hope the SS Shimmer changed course and would follow the course the Team Rocket robot had.
"There he is!"
Ash being pulled back onboard with every Pokémon on the destroyed machine got a heroes welcome from everyone on the ship. After receiving words of thanks of everyone that was a victim he went to find Amelia. Seeing her with Dragonair hugging closely he was glad it worked out as usual. As he went to her the captain walked up to him and thanked him for his bravery.
"Thank you for saving the guests Pokémon. We are in your debt."
"It was nothing. I'm just glad everyone is safe." The captain laughed.
"Going in head first and beating criminals like Team Rocket is quite a deed. I wouldn't expect nothing else from tge Battle Frontier winner and the Alola League Champion." Amelia's mouth dropped and stopped hugging her Pokémon at hearing the combination of the last three words. Again her view of him was broken.
"You know?"
"Sir, we know every accomplishment from every person here on board. We made no mistake in gathering the biggest collection of shiny Pokémon ever assembled. That includes digging in past and present."
"You did your research." Ash impressed he knew. He didn't ever brag about it and he was sure nobody knew who he was or else nobody would probably challenged or did a battle with him in fear he might be too strong.
"Only the best will do on the SS Shimmer. Now excuse me while I go make plans and arrangements so a matter like this won't ever happen again."
The captain wished them a rest of a safe journey as the Performer still didn't believe what she heard. He saw her stunned look and adjusted his cap.
"You're a League Champion!?" All this time she thought he was a runner up who then went on to greener pastures at trying to be world champion. Now that he actually won a League it only raised more questions for her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't think it was important."
"Not important!? You could maybe move a couple hundred spots on the list if you exploit it more!"
"I don't try and think about what I achieved before too much. I once was on a hot streak and thought I couldn't be beaten. Drake from the Hoenn Elite Four knocked me out of my high. Bertha, a member of the Sinnoh Elite Four did even better against me. I battled Diantha and lost. After I won the Alola League, a few weeks after I battled Leon. It was one sided."
He did a summation of Elite Four members he battled and some Champions. Some might see him as really strong but he himself knew he paled in comparison to the true master class of trainers. He couldn't call himself a Pokémon Master until he did. Ash looked over her and something changed about her.
"I can't do this anymore."
If Amelia had even a hint of success as he did she'd brag about it constantly. Seeing him so humble despite all his achievements something broke in her. Their real characters couldn't be more opposite. All this time she went for him for her own desires while he mostly helped her and others. Rescuing her Dragonair by being so rash was the last straw.
Visibly upset she hated what she did. Ash was unlike anyone she ever met. He did not deserve to go on thinking they were friends as she pieced together a façade to use him for her own needs.
"Look. I'm grateful for your help and the last few days but it's better if we don't see each other anymore." Amelia called it off before it would get any worse.
"What's wrong?" He started to worry as she seemed incredibly spaced out. Maybe it's because she's not used to Team Rocket and dangerous situations as he is but she actively pushed him away now. Taking the sunglasses from her bag she put them on as she did not wanted to look him in his eyes.
"It's not you, it's me. You don't deserve the way I've been treating you."
"I don't get it."
"It's best you don't. I want you to remember me like this. As a friend."
"Amelia." He tried to stop her but she already made her mind up holding the tears back. He was just too good of a person to be messed with.
"Just forget about me. You've done more for me then I ever could. Goodbye Ash."
She returned Dragonair to its Pokeball and ran away. Holding back the sadness away from everyone she moved swiftly to her room and think about what she did. She did just lost the best friend she ever had and it wasn't even real. Coming into her room she threw away her stuff on the ground and hugged a pillow for comfort as she was in two minds to just grab a lifeboat and row to the nearest piece of land so she wasn't near Ash ever again.
"All the money in the world and I can't buy his friendship. I'm a failure, just like always."
Team Rocket going after Pikachu and Ash just letting 'strangers' grab him without questioning it is a trope that needs to die.
And so this whole story falls apart because Amelia never wants to see him again and Ash will let her be without asking any questions.
She doesn't know him that well then.
Later.