Flight to Destiny

by Inferno02

Instead of getting a Charmander from Professor Oak like he'd originally planned, Ash ends up with a completely different starter Pokemon. For better or worse, he receives a feisty Dratini and sets on his journey to capture the world and become the best Pokemon Master there ever was. AU! Smarter Ash!

10. The SS Anne

The S.S. Anne

---

A couple of very important announcements regarding the changes I've decided to make to the story before you move on to the chapter.

Firstly, I've decided that Ash will name his Pokemon. This had been on my mind ever since I started this story, and I had a poll after chapter 2 asking if the readers wanted Ash to name his Pokemon or not. The result of that poll was fairly even with "No Nicknames" winning by a few votes.

But now that I've written the last couple of chapters with Ralts having a name, I realized that naming her gave her a lot more focus, and just made it easier to develop her personality. And so, I decided to name all of his Pokemon. In the future, he might not name a Pokemon or two, but more often than not, he will name them. I've added the scenes where he gives/asks them for names in their capture chapters so you guys can have a look there. I'll also mention the nicknames at the start of every chapter for a while. Some of the other characters will also name their Pokemon. They may name some or all of their Pokemon, depending on the character. For example, Gary has named his starter but not his other Pokemon (yet) who've made their appearance yet.

As for the second change, it's regarding Ash's latest capture. I've changed it to Kabuto instead of Krabby. I honestly don't like going back and retconning stuff like this, but I genuinely felt that Kabuto adds a lot more dynamic to Ash's team than a Krabby. I had Krabby as his sixth Pokemon outlined a long time back when I started this story, but now, my plans for the story have changed, and I feel they're so much better than they were compared to back then. I'm very excited about these plans and to write more chapters.

Kabuto's capture has been added to the last chapter (Chapter 9) and I think the scene turned out extremely well. Please have a look at that because I feel that it captures Kabuto's character well and I'll build on that. It's towards the end of the last chapter, just before the last scene. I like to write Pokemon interactions, whether they be with humans or amongst themselves. I've tried to develop the personalities of Pokemon in this story a lot, and I'm going to focus on that aspect even more now. More in terms of writing than the amount of content.

If you have any questions regarding the changes, you can PM me or review and I'll reply as soon as I can.

Ash's Pokemon's Names:

Dratini (M): Kaiser

Charmeleon (M): Ignis

Pidgeotto (F): Ava

Ralts (F): Tia

Mankey (M): Trooper

Kabuto (M): Helio

---

This had been a very pleasant surprise. Steven Stone was over a year older than Ash and hence, had begun his journey before him. Ash had a lot of questions for him: which Pokemon had he caught, what experiences had he had, how many Gym badges had he won, and what was he doing in the Kanto region?

After all, he was from Hoenn. And the last time they'd talked, Ash remembered Steven had told him he'd be traveling around his native region first, participating in the local Pokemon League. He was the son of a business tycoon from Hoenn, and heir to one of the biggest business organisations in the world: the Devon Corporation. Yet, unlike his father, Steven's interests lay elsewhere. His obsession with Pokemon ran almost as deep as Ash's. The guy loved Pokemon and battling with them just as much as Ash. Although, unlike Ash, he had another hobby he liked to indulge himself in.

Ash's lips curved into a bright smile as he strode towards the friend whom he hadn't seen for years now. "You're in the Kanto region?" Ash asked as he reached the boy. Steven was dressed in an expensive looking suit, comprising a purple shirt, jet black coat, and black pants. Ash thought his clothes complimented him well. As far as he remembered, Steven had always dressed well. One wouldn't need to look at him twice to figure out his prestigious background.

Steven stood up straight from the port railing he was leaning against. "As you can see." He smiled and raised his hand to grasp Ash's. It had been a while since Ash had done that with Steven. Far too long, in fact.

"It's really nice to see you after so long," Ash chimed as he pulled Steven towards him, playfully nudging the boy's shoulder against his. His eyes locked deep with Steven's, and stayed that way for a long moment. "The last time we talked was almost 2 years back, wasn't it?"

Steven chuckled heartily and nodded as Ash released his hand. "Yeah, and a lot's changed since then."

"I can tell," Ash sniggered, slipping his hands in his pockets. "We've both become Pokemon trainers, for one. I tried calling you some time back, but I couldn't find you home."

"It's been almost a year since I started traveling and I've not been home much since then," Steven answered. Ash nodded. The word home reminded him of his mother. He grimaced when realization struck that he hadn't even called home in months. And after his mom had told him to be in touch regularly, too. He mentally noted to call her first thing after returning from the S.S. Anne.

He brought his attention back to Steven. "Been looking for stones?" Ash laughed. Steven's obsession with stones took him back. In their younger days, Steven would always bring up something related to rocks in their chats. Ash had tried very hard to understand Steven's meticulous explanations about his hobby at first, but he'd given up after he realized that it was far too much for him since he knew next to nothing about them. Ash's passion and endearment on the topic paled in comparison to Steven's, for he couldn't even identify a pebble from another.

"I would be lying if I said that I haven't done that." The trainer from Hoenn shrugged, earning a sneer from Ash. "There are a lot of caves and dungeons that I've been to after I started traveling. And stones weren't the only thing that I found interesting there." He put his chin up and whistled. His sapphire orbs stabbed into Ash's meaningfully. "Maybe we should go exploring together sometime."

"Maybe," Ash rolled his eyes after momentarily breaking off his gaze. He didn't want to get Steven riled up about stones now. Once he began a thesis on them, it would be difficult to get him to stop.

Steven noticed Ash's sigh and groaned. He didn't appear too pleased about Ash's lack of interest in what he considered to be one of the most fascinating things in the world. So, he changed the topic. "But I've mostly been trying to focus on my Pokemon training recently. The Hoenn League's right around the corner."

Now, the talk of Pokemon training got Ash's mind driving into more interesting avenues. "The Hoenn League," Ash mused as he gazed into Steven's eyes. He felt jitters in his stomach whenever he thought about the Pokemon League. "How long until it starts?"

"It's only a couple months away," Steven answered.

"Knowing you, you probably have all the badges you need," Ash said, unable to hold off a grin.

Steven grinned right back as he drew out a rectangular, metallic case from his jacket. The assortment of stones attached to the box glinted vividly when exposed to the sun's rays. Ash couldn't help but gasp at the beautiful craftsmanship of the equally dazzling stones on the surface of the box. As far as Ash knew – and he thought that he knew Steven well – Steven wasn't one to flaunt his wealth. And he had plenty of it. But he didn't hold back with spending it on the things he loved. The blue-haired trainer pressed the box lightly, making it open.

Ash's eyes sparkled at the sight of the 8 differently-shaped badges that the case held. Those were 8 authentic Gym badges that would allow Steven to participate in Hoenn's regional Conference. Ash clenched his fists at the thought of having 8 badges of his own. He couldn't wait until he did. A whisk of adrenaline pumped through his body in anticipation. How strong would he be then? Which Pokemon would he have encountered? The great battles that would inevitably happen before he reached that point thrilled him to the bone.

"That's awesome!" He chirped, a little too excited, but straightened himself soon enough. There was something else that he was curious about. "You're here for training then?"

Steven nodded, his features full of glee. "Yeah, since I have all 8 badges already, I decided that it wouldn't be a bad idea to go to someplace new," He smirked, flicking a tuft of his teal hair. "And I wanted to see you again, Ash. We've not seen each other since we became trainers."

Ash snickered at the words of his friend. "Same goes for me, Steven. I'm glad to see you after so long." His eyes narrowed and he felt a spark rush through his body, as he instinctively flickered his Pokeballs with his hands. "We've gotta have a Pokemon battle."

"I've been waiting for you to say that," Steven said, equally as interested, but then pointed his gaze towards the ship behind him. "But we'll have to wait a bit for that. We can't battle here, but there's a lot of battle arenas on the ship."

The mention of the S.S. Anne made Ash remember something. He instantly turned his head and smiled wryly at Brock, who'd been standing a couple feet behind him. He wrinkled his nose at how he'd forgotten about Brock. "Hey Brock, this is Steven, a friend of mine," he glanced from Brock to Steven. "And Steven, this is Brock. He was the Pewter City Gym Leader, but we've been travelling together for a bit."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Brock," Steven smiled at the aspiring doctor, taking a few steps forward and extending his hand.

"The pleasure's all mine," Brock returned the smile as he firmly shook the offered hand.

"The boarding's open now," Steven glanced towards the dock again. Ash followed his gaze and found several people gathered up around the stairway to the S.S. Anne, chattering and joking in small groups just like them. He hadn't realized how noisy it'd gotten around the dock. "It's still a while before the departure time, but we can talk inside."

Ash glanced at Brock and nodded. "Sounds good."

---

Soon, the three trainers made their way towards the dock. A queue had already formed before they got there with a myriad of people, most of them young trainers, had started the procedure to get in. Between security, tickets and identification, it took several minutes before they boarded the ship.

"Welcome to the S.S. Anne. We hope you have a wonderful time with us!" A well-dressed man politely greeted them after they climbed the stairway to the ship's entrance.

Ash smiled at the man and strode inside, and Steven and Brock trailed after him.

"So, how's Gary doing?" Steven asked as he paced himself towards Ash.

"He was doing fine until the last time I saw him. Dunno what kind of mess he might've gotten himself into now," Ash sneered at the thought of Gary. Life looked like a breeze for Gary, without any problems, but Ash could affirm the uncertainties surrounding a Pokemon journey from his own experiences. He turned around to Steven who'd taken a few quick strides to catch up with him. "He said he was going to board the S.S. Anne before it was delayed so we should find him here."

"I hope I do run across him," Steven said with honest excitement. "It'll be interesting to see how strong he's become too."

"I had a battle with him in Cerulean City," Ash started before his forehead creased at the memories of that battle. Fresh images of his loss surfaced, but the result hadn't bothered him. "A 1-on-1 battle."

"And?" Steven asked curiously. It was difficult to see he was interested.

"I lost," Ash admitted wryly. He didn't mind saying that he'd lost that match, even though it was at a disadvantage for him. He'd have to make sure to settle the score the next time they fought. Letting Gary get over his head with victories would be a pain to deal with - one that nearly gave him a headache at the mere thought.

Steven chuckled. "It was a 1-on-1 battle so it doesn't prove much."

"I guess," Ash said dryly.

"And you're not telling me the whole story now, are you?" Steven smirked as his shoulder bent towards Ash's, a nudge getting a guilty chuckle out of him.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I lost fair and square," Ash shrugged. "He's probably gotten a bit stronger by now. Don't worry, I'll beat him next time." He affirmed confidently.

"And what about Leaf?" Steven asked. "She's travelling too?"

Ah, Leaf. A tinge of worry filled Ash's heart when he thought about her. She wasn't clumsy, but she had the tendency to be quirky. He hoped she was doing okay. Had she decided what she wanted to do?

"Yeah, Leaf started with us, of course," Ash gave him a half-smile, but Steven probably noticed his apprehensions from the odd look he shot at him. "That girl, I wonder how she's doing now. I haven't seen her since I left Pewter City."

"You worry too much about her," Steven laughed and grasped Ash's shoulder reassuringly - Ash could tell. "She's certainly more sensible than Gary, and even you. She used to keep you and your friends in check, remember?"

Ash blinked at the last part but dismissed the thought that Steven was taking a jibe at him. That was Gary's job. "Well, yeah. I sure hope she is." He scratched the side of his eyebrow. "She doesn't want to challenge Gyms."

Steven frowned. "That's surprising. She did great in that part of the training, and she was pretty set on following you and Gary."

"She said she found out that she didn't like battling as much as she thought," Ash replied. "It's good that it happened early though. She can find out what she likes to do and just go with that."

"Well, that is a bit disappointing, I won't lie," Steven grumbled and grimaced for a brief moment, then his face brightened. "But I hope whatever she chooses works out for her."

Ash hummed at his words.

They'd walked to the door of the main hall of the ship.

And to say the sight impressed Ash would be an understatement. The hall was gigantic, at least a hundred metres if not more, Ash noted. The ceiling seemed like it would dwarf a few floors of a normal building easily. Beautiful red carpet rolled throughout the floors with the walls painted a glittering but clean pearl white. Ash couldn't imagine how many people it could hold at a time. He could see various small shops at either side of the hall. There weren't a lot of people in there yet because the boarding had just started, but Ash was sure it would brim with people before long. The crowd he'd seen outside would be all here.

On the side opposite to where they'd entered from, there were a few battlefields. "So, they make the Pokemon battles a spectacle," Ash mused as he glanced at them from afar, counting four, two on each side. They looked like standard training battlefields from there; hard, even ground without any grass covering on a slightly raised platform above the floor around.

"Those aren't the only battlefields there are in S.S. Anne," Brock chimed in. "It's got some special rooms which are almost like mini-gyms. They have bleachers for people to come and watch the match and trained referees too."

"And that's not all, if what I've read is correct," Steven added brightly. "There could also be some competitions. There are also some training rooms for Pokemon, and different kinds of them. They're also reinforced so Pokemon can train without having to worry too much about damaging stuff. But it's still advised that the training be done with some caution."

The three of them strolled through the hall, glancing at the different shops that had just begun to open. Ash's gaze danced through the multitude of shops, his thoughts enchanted by the delicacies, Pokemon food and Pokemon accessories that he laid eyes on. The S.S. Anne was true to its reputation; a top-class cruise liner.

Finally, they made their way toward the battlefields. The four fields were each next to one another but with enough space for a fair amount of spectators to stand in between.

Ash awed at the size of them, unable to hold a gasp. He hadn't been able to make out from afar, but each one of those fields was around half of the size of one in a Pokemon Gym. S.S. Anne continued to impress him. He glanced around all of them and found a couple already had Pokemon battles going on. He was sure trainers would pack the area soon.

"Let's have a battle here, Ash," Steven suggested as he walked towards the far end of the battlefield nearest to them.

Ash smirked at him. He'd been waiting for this. "Yeah," he took his position at the trainer's box near him. "And we'll use our very first Pokemon to battle."

"Of course," Steven grinned, pulling out a Pokeball - it was an unusual mix of gold and silver colors - from inside his coat. "Let's enjoy ourselves."

Ash unclipped a Pokeball from his belt and pointed it forwards. "Yes! Kaiser, you're up!"

Both trainers let out their Pokemon from their balls, a Metagross materializing on Steven's side while Kaiser shrieked his arrival. The two Pokemon roared at one another, piercing glares unmoving from their foes. The silver-colored Metagross towered over Kaiser's size several times, but the dragon-type didn't show a slither of weakness. He snarled, fierce eyes unwilling to bend even against a foe that oozed strength.

"Your Beldum evolved…" Ash mused at the sight of the massive steel-type Pokemon. Even from afar, Ash felt the power emanating from Metagross; its claws glimmered with a faint hue of purple that vanished soon, but that was unmistakably a tiny speck of its unimaginable psychic abilities. It regarded Kaiser with an empty, cold stare, then cast its eyes on Ash. He felt his body freeze for the briefest of moments when Metagross had looked at him. That sent a shiver down his spine. The steel and psychic-type species were known for their especially sharp intellect and powers of deduction that far surpassed human levels.

Ash had seen Steven's Beldum when the guy had called him nearly 2 years back. The reason for the call had been to show Ash the Pokemon he'd received from his father: a different colored Beldum. Ash would be lying if he said that he wasn't jealous that Steven had gotten a Pokemon before he'd even started his journey. He'd told Ash he'd encountered it in one of the caves he'd gone to with some employees of the Devon corporation. It had caught his interest but he wasn't a Pokemon trainer at the time so he had to rely on others to help him catch it. It had escaped the first time, but after he'd told his father about it, the businessman had sent some high-level trainers to capture the Iron Ball Pokemon for his only son.

"It's not been long since it evolved into Metagross," Steven said proudly, as he flicked a tuft of his hair. His features seemed to gleam when he looked at his Metagross as if an old man gazed upon the most precious prize in his lifelong collection. "I'm surprised to see that your first Pokemon was a Dratini. I thought you were going for a Charmander."

"Yeah, but some things happened and I ended up with this guy," Ash grinned as he remembered the events that led to him getting Kaiser. The slew of emotions that he'd experienced that day from disappointment to exhilaration still chilled his spine. "And now, I wouldn't have it any other way!"

It wasn't easy to raise Pokemon like Beldum. Some species of Pokemon were naturally stronger than most others and raising them well proved a task that few could endure. Kaiser, being a Dratini, was the same way. These Pokemon were rarer to find and demanding to raise. They were a rarity even among more experienced trainers. That applied even more for their fully evolved form. Steven must've gone through a lot of harsh training to get his first Pokemon to evolve into a Metagross.

The two Pokemon, a different colored Metagross and a Dratini drew hushed whispers and stares from the nearby crowd. Barely a minute had passed yet a crowd of boisterous spectators had gathered around the battlefield.

"That's a Metagross from the Hoenn region, isn't it?!" One boy in the crowd chirped.

"Wait, it's color is different!" Another yelped in surprise. "My Pokedex shows its color as blue."

"Amazing!" A girl in the crowd chimed, awed at the Pokemon on display.

"That guy has a Dratini!" A slightly older boy, probably in his late teens, exclaimed, pointing his finger at Kaiser.

"Both of them have such rare Pokemon!"

Ash shook his head at the ruckus. A large crowd had already gathered around him, blocking his view from all angles. And more people seemed to be joining in. He shrugged at the reception. That wasn't surprising considering there was a Dratini and a Metagross, an unusually colored one at that, on show.

Ash brought his attention back to the battlefield. "Should we begin?" Receiving a nod from Steven, he glanced at Brock. "Do you mind acting as the referee, Brock?"

Brock smiled. "Sure, I'll do that." He walked in the middle of the field which had a box drawn on the ground for a referee. "One on one?" When Steven and Ash both affirmed, he raised his hands and shouted. "Begin!"

"Kaiser, start with Dragon Breath!" Ash commanded, taking the lead. He'd noticed that Kaiser had been unusually excited for this battle. Ever since he'd sent him out, the dragon hadn't stopped hissing and growling at his massive opponent, undeterred by the humongous size difference.

"Iron Defense," Steven ordered, sliding his hands in his pockets.

As Kaiser charged his Dragon Breath, Metagross's silver body glowed for a couple of moments as it roared and straightened its metallic legs. The Dragon Breath pelted Metagross on the face dead on, however, the Iron Leg Pokemon barely gave more than a light shriek, waving it off as if it had been a splash of water.

"Its defence is amazing," Ash narrowed his eyes as he tried to study every visible move Metagross made. The Iron Defense had improved its defense power, but not being affected by Kaiser's Dragon Breath? That wasn't something he'd seen any Pokemon he'd faced so far do. "Try Aqua Jet!"

"Meteor Mash," Steven said calmly, pointing his hand forward. His every move seemed measured.

A whirl of water surrounded Kaiser as he flung himself at Metagross at great speeds. Metragross' right hand also glowed a shade of golden, but before it could do anything else, Kaiser had already tackled it with his Aqua Jet. Metagross yelped, but it continued its Meteor Mash toward Kaiser who remained within immediate striking distance.

"Quickly use Dragon Breath on Metagross to move back!" Ash yelled, and Kaiser proved just about fast enough to fire the greenish draconic energy at his foe, the force of which sent him flying backwards. The Meteor Mash didn't strike him, but it was only a narrow dodge. If Kaiser had been a moment too late, the glowing fist would've crushed him under its sheer force.

"Kaiser is pretty fast," Steven complimented with a smile.

"I'm impressed at how well Metagross can take Kaiser's attacks," Ash chimed back. "It's easily the strongest Pokemon I've battled so far."

"That's a big compliment coming from you," Steven chuckled before his eyes gleaned. "But you'll see Metagross can be quite fast too. Bullet Punch!"

"Dodge it with Aqua Jet!" Ash cried out instantly after he'd heard Steven.

Metagross whizzed past the battlefield as one of its legs glowed again. Kaiser had surrounded himself in a thin veil of water, but the strike from Metagross was far too quick for him to do anything about. He wailed in pain as the force of the attack slammed him to the ground, tumbling a few feet before its trainer.

Ash grimaced at that. That Bullet Punch wasn't just fast, it was extremely strong too. In one blow, it had done more damage to Kaiser that he'd done on Metagross the entire battle. This also made him realize that he needed to teach Kaiser something to counter steel-types. Dragon-type attacks weren't very effective against steel-type Pokemon, and even though Aqua Jet wasn't a terrible choice, it was a move focused on speed rather than power. In a battle against a Pokemon as mighty as Steven's Metagross, that wouldn't be enough. Kaiser's moveset needed work.

"Shock Wave!" Ash ordered without wasting another moment. He had to take the offensive if he was to stand a chance.

"Flash Cannon!" came Steven's counter.

Kaiser shrieked and unleashed a wave of electricity in the direction of Metagross, who charged a ball of silverish energy in its mouth. It didn't attempt to get out of the way of the Shock Wave, instead taking the hit and shooting the silver beam of energy at Kaiser. The Dratini slid out of the way of the Flash Cannon and roared, but that roar was cut short because another Flash Cannon was scurrying his way, and there was nothing he could do to evade it this time.

Ash gritted his teeth as he saw Kaiser crashing backwards again. His starter tried his best to get back up, but he didn't seem to have enough power to do so. Ash sighed. Kaiser may have been strong, but he wasn't strong enough to take on Steven's Metagross. Not yet. He pointed his Pokeball forward and Kaiser got covered in a flash of light, but his eyes widened when Kaiser remained on the field, despite the red light from the Pokeball surrounding him. He'd rejected being recalled.

"Kaiser," Ash mumbled with clenched fists. Pride filled him at the sight of his starter's determination to win. Kaiser suddenly became engulfed in a terrifying blue energy that crackled like electricity before steadying slightly around Kaiser's body. He could only watch in awe as Kaiser snarled and then charged at his foe, his body still covered with the draconic energy. "Is that Dragon Rush?!"

Steven watched with widened eyes as Kaiser crashed into his Metagross. The cry that came out of Metagross was the loudest thus far in the battle. It had even been pushed back a few yards by the force of the attack. He smiled. "Metagross, Bull-" Just as Steven was about to give another order, he realized something.

Ash sighed, his eyes closing for a brief moment. "You gave it your all, Kaiser."

"Dratini is unable to battle, Metagross is the winner!" Brock exclaimed after he observed Kaiser lying in front of Metagross without showing any signs of movement.

A smile crossed Ash's features as he recalled Kaiser back into his Pokeball. He could only be proud of the way Kaiser had fought. His willpower to defeat Metagross was so strong that he'd learned a powerful new attack in order to do that. He looked at Steven who petted his Metagross' head across the battlefield.

"Did your Dratini just learn that Dragon Rush?" Steven asked, recalling his starter and walking towards Ash.

"Yeah," Ash replied in a low voice. An unusual burst of satisfaction energized him. "I didn't think he would be able to battle after he took that Flash Cannon."

Steven smiled as he put a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder. "That was great, Ash. I can't wait for us to battle again once Kaiser is stronger."

"Neither can I," Ash replied back merrily.

"That was quite interesting,"

The familiar voice made Ash and Steven turn around.

Ash's lips parted at first, then he smirked when he saw his first rival walking towards them. "I was wondering where you were."

"And I was wondering what you were doing in the S.S. Anne after you said that you wouldn't be here," Gary snorted, folding his hands as he came to a stop in front of them. "And I find that your starter was a Dratini and not Charmander."

Ash scratched his head, slightly sheepishly. He hadn't intended to hide that fact from Gary, however, he thought that Gary might complain and ask for Ash to use Kaiser in their last fight. "That's right,"

"It's nice to see you again, Gary," Steven interjected with a bright smile as Gary turned to face him.

"You too, Steven," Gary grinned and he high-fived Steven's hand. "Your Metagross is something else. But I expected as much from you," He leaned forward and smirked, his eyes contained an eager twinkle. "Are you ready for a battle with me?"

"Yeah, I want to see how strong your Pokemon are, too," Steven responded, his eyes locking Gary's into a fierce yet respectful gaze. Ash could relate to the feeling. It hadn't been that long since he fought Gary, but it was long enough for him to have gotten a few new tricks up his sleeve.

"I'll see you guys in a bit. I've got to take Kaiser to the Pokemon Center," Ash said, slightly disappointed that he'd miss some of their match, but the health of his Pokemon took priority. He turned around once he'd received nods from Gary and Steven.

Ash began to walk away from the arena, but a firm hand on his shoulder halted him. He turned to find it was Brock. "Ash, I can take Kaiser and get him healed up. You can stay here."

Ash's lips parted, not speaking for a moment. "That'd be great. Thanks, Brock!" He was about to refuse, not wanting to cause Brock any trouble, but his desire to watch the battle between his two rivals swayed his mind. He handed Kaiser's Pokeball over to Brock, who smiled at him and disappeared into the crowd of people who still hadn't left.

Ash turned his attention towards his rivals. Gary's gaze fixated on Steven, who'd taken his position opposite him. The quiet face off between two of his rivals had Ash's adrenaline rush. Considering how strong Steven was, having already been a trainer for longer than Gary and himself, Ash didn't have much doubt that Steven would win again. Yet, Ash looked forward to seeing the new tricks Gary had come up with in the last month and a half.

"Here we go, Stud!" Gary tossed his Pokeball lightly and his Wartortle materialized in front of him. Steven tapped his own Pokeball and his Metagross took the field. Stud's roars against an indomitable wall like Metagross - who appeared just as nonchalant as it was when it faced Kaiser - were met with nothing but an icy cold stare from Metagross.

"Stud, use Water Pulse!" Gary ordered. He appeared somewhat uneasy underneath the exterior of composure. In his heart, Gary probably knew the way this match would turn out.

"Meteor Mash." Steven's voice was calm as if this was just another battle for him. Ash hadn't noticed it in the heat of his own battle with the stone fanatic.

Water ebbed and flowed from Stud's mouth until it took the shape of a pulsating ball and he shot it towards his foe while Metagross slipped through the field with its right hand glowing gold. As the Water Pulse came closer, Metagross crushed it with a mere punch, making it burst into a flurry of water, and continued to charge forward until it hammered its fists into Stud, a few golden stars pouring out when the steel-type attack connected. The turtle Pokemon gave out a cry as he used the support of his hands to keep himself standing.

Gary smirked. "I expected that to happen. Now Bite it!"

Stud rose back up again and scurried towards Metagross, who wasn't too far away from it. It dug its fangs, which glowed black, into the steel-type, earning a cry from Metagross.

Ash observed the battle carefully. Stud's Bite could deal serious damage to a psychic-type, and it would've, had Metagross not had such great defensive abilities. Either way, the type effectiveness worked in Gary's favour this time. Ash noted that he needed to focus on having some of his Pokemon learn attacks that would give them coverage against Pokemon. For Kaiser, an ensemble of fire-type attacks would prove helpful.

"Metagross, use Zen Headbutt!" Steven commanded.

"Withdraw!" Gary countered hastily.

Metagross jerked its head down and bolted forward, its eyes glowing blue while violet energy leaked from the top of its head. Stud retreated into his shell, a faint blue hue pulsing around him. Ash cringed, closing his eyes tight for the poor Pokemon. Despite Stud's defense, Metagross collided head on, and the impact sent him flying backwards next to Gary.

Gary's fists clenched at the sight of his Wartortle shakily steadying himself as he came out of his shell. "Hydro Pump! Give it your all!"

"Let's finish it with a quick Bullet Punch, shall we, Metagross?" Steven said, his lips twitching ever so slightly.

Stud retreated back into his shell but this time spun around and strong streams of water came out of each of the openings. Metagross had already reached its target though as it struck Stud's body with its glowing fist, not caring about the some of the Hydro Pump hitting him.

Steven's Pokemon roared once it saw that its opponent just laid on the ground, knocked out.

Ash wryly smiled at the outcome.

Gary sighed before a smile crept up to his face. "You gave it your all, Stud," he whispered as he recalled his fainted starter.

"I'll say that you've raised it really well, Gary," Steven commented as he walked forwards. "It's just been a few months since you guys started out, right?"

"Yeah," Gary said. "I didn't expect any less of your starter. It's already a powerhouse!" He suddenly jerked his head to his left and his lips curled up into a wicked smirk. "It's your turn now, Ashy-boy. I'll make up for this loss with a win over you."

"You will?" Ash raised an eyebrow, walking towards Gary and Steven. "What if I don't allow it?"

"I'll force you," Gary leaned towards Ash, his glare viciously challenging. "You're gonna battle me right now. 2-on-2, unlike last time."

"I can't wait to see you lose, Gary, but," Ash grinned back before glancing at the Pokeball in Gary's hand. "You'll need to get Stud healed up first."

"I won't need Stud to beat you!" Gary retorted. "You don't have your starter right now, so I don't need to use mine."

"If you're that eager," Ash sighed, running his fingers through his Pokeball belt in thought about his choice. "Then I won't refuse."

"Well, now," Steven beamed. "I'm looking forward to this."

Meanwhile, there was an announcement that got the attention of everyone.

"The S.S. Anne is now departing. Our destination is Sevii Islands. We hope you enjoy your journey!"

Ash walked to the end of the battlefield where Steven stood while Gary returned to where he'd had his last battle.

Without hesitation, Ash grabbed a Pokeball and pointed it forward. "Tia, I choose you!"

Ash had planned on letting Tia get some more exposure to real Pokemon battles while he was on the S.S. Anne — what better way to do that than to fight against his childhood rival? The Ralts materialized and cooed at her release.

"A Ralts, huh?" Gary smirked - his face brimmed with his usual haughty confidence - as he removed a Pokeball from his pocket. "Interesting." He pointed the Pokeball forward and out of it came a small red and cream colored dog, a muffled woof to signal its arrival. Its husky tail bobbed up and down and its sharp eyes locked on Tia, keenly awaiting a battle.

"So, you've caught a Growlithe." Ash muttered. They were said to be extremely loyal Pokemon and gave their all in battles. And they were made to battle and protect their partners. Growlithe not only had great maneuvers, but their evolved form, Arcanine, were considered extremely strong Pokemon, even in the wild. They could learn a variety of moves and, hence, could counter different situations.

"Tia, use Confusion," Ash commanded after running through various battle scenarios in his mind like a game of chess.

"Flame Wheel," ordered Gary.

Tia put her hands forwards, her eyes glowing blue as she tried to take control over Growlithe's mind. The fire-type grunted, closing its eyes, but shook off the attack and surrounded itself with fire, curling up inside of the flames.

"Use Double Team now!" Ash shouted.

As Growlithe's body became a sea of flames that rolled toward her, Tia made duplicates of herself. Growlithe struck one of them, but passed right through the illusion which disappeared on impact. However, it didn't give up then as it rolled towards another copy.

"Concentrate and use Flamethrower!" Gary's eyes narrowed and Ash was sure he was trying to find the best approach to win the battle. Behind his arrogant demeanor, the Oak was as sharp in tactics as they came.

Growlithe had managed to fight off Tia's Confusion without too much difficulty, and the Double Team illusions wouldn't last long. Fairy-type moves weren't very effective against fire-types so Tia was at a disadvantage since the only attacking move that she knew that wasn't fairy-type was Confusion.

"Use Disarming Voice," Ash ordered, absentmindedly scratching his chin.

The illusions had disappeared when Growlithe opened its maw and let loose a flurry of flames at Tia. The Ralts called forth every bit of strength she had and cried, waves in the form of faint pinkish hearts colliding with the incoming Flamethrower.

Ash pursed his lips as he saw the Disarming Voice being overpowered by the Flamethrower. "Dodge it!"

Tia tried to slip out of the way of the attack, but Growlithe only had to redirect it a bit to the left where she'd jumped. And although she had been quick to try and evade it, Tia couldn't completely get out of the way as the flames stung deep into her fragile body.

"Damn!" Ash cursed under his breath. Growlithe had been trained well, and he shouldn't have expected any less from Gary. Ash saw his rival smirk at the outcome of the bout, which he made sure to return with as much vigor. Disadvantage or not, he couldn't allow himself to lose to Gary a second time. "I know you can do it, Tia!" he cheered his little psychic-type who looked back at her trainer and cooed with a determined look on her face. "Disarming Voice again!"

"Flame Wheel!" Gary ordered, his voice coarse.

Tia jerked her head back and released her shriek of pink energy while Growlithe tucked its feet in and made a wheel of flames around itself. As it headed towards its foe, it was struck by the heart which packed draining fairy energy, which made it whimper but its attack didn't stop. Tia tried to jump out of the way of the incoming blow but she wasn't fast enough. She shrieked as the flames from Growlithe's moves engulfed her.

"It seems you've been slacking off without teaching your Pokemon anything, Ash," Gary commented as he folded his arms and sneered at his rival.

Ash didn't respond to the obvious taunt thrown at him. But he'd thought of a plan that could neutralize the battle. Tia had already taken too much damage, as evidenced by the injuries on her body. If there was one thing that Ash thought was Tia's weakness, it was her endurance. Her body was still frail, and it wasn't her fault. Ralts, as Pokemon, weren't the most durable until they evolved. So, he'd only get one chance to turn the tide of this battle.

"Bite!" Gary's fists clenched briefly. He'd probably thought that Growlithe would've had the better of Tia by now.

"Brace yourself and let it come to you, Tia," Ash narrowed his eyes at Growlithe charging at Tia with bared fangs. As Growlithe was inches away from Tia, Ash shouted. "Now, Hypnosis!"

Growlithe successfully dug its claws into Tia's arm, earning a cry from the Emotion Pokemon. Tia, though, appeared focused as her eyes glowed and she gazed right into Growlithe's eyes. The pup yelped, its hold on Tia's arm getting weaker as it fell on the ground.

Gary gritted his teeth. "You tricky bastard!" he mumbled as he saw his Growlithe fall asleep. "Wake up, Growlithe!"

Ash pumped his fist slightly. He'd been training with Tia trying to make full use of Hypnosis. It was a move that required direct eye contact with the opponent for a few seconds. The success rate of using Hypnosis in a battle was very low, making it an unpopular move for trainers, but Ash figured that at times like these, it might prove to be Tia's ace in the hole. She'd done well to hang on until then, even after taking hits from Growlithe's fire-type moves.

"We've gotta end it while it's asleep, Tia," Ash informed her in a serious tone. "Draining Kiss!"

Tia purred and kissed her hand before sending a pink colored heart at Growlithe at close range. It grunted in pain while the drained energy revitalized Tia's body. Gary's cries for Growlithe to wake up seemed to fall on deaf ears as Tia sent a second flying kiss at Growlithe.

"Growlithe!" Gary yelled worriedly. "Get up and use Bite!"

This was enough to make Growlithe break its slumber. Its eyes were sharp as it barked and closed the short distance between itself and Tia. It drove its fangs inside Tia's white skin and this time it didn't let go, neither did it look at Tia's eyes.

"Get back and use Draining Kiss," Ash commanded. His heart thumped in his chest.

"That's it, Growlithe! Bite again!" Gary cheered. "And then finish it with Flame Wheel."

Tia jumped a few steps back, wincing as blood oozed from the fresh bite marks and trickled to the ground. Growlithe barked and dashed forward, its fangs dangerously closing in on Tia. Just as Tia released her Draining Kiss, Growlithe bit her again before being struck by the fairy-type attack.

"Hang in there, Tia," Ash said softly, but he grimaced at the sight of his Ralts wailing at the pain.

Even though the Draining Kiss hit Growlithe, Tia's wobbling and wailing matched the move's strength, passing through the pup as if it had been patted. Growlithe's eyes flared with a burning ember as flames licked around his fur. The fire-type attack bustled with energy and cackled like a whip, but Tia fell to the ground before the move could be released, unconscious.

With pursed lips, Ash recalled Tia. "That was great Tia," he sighed. "We'll just have to work even harder on your moves." He couldn't help but smile as he readied his next Pokeball.

On the other side of the field, Gary petted his Growlithe, who panted and barely stood its ground with bruised legs. "You were great as always," Gary beamed at his Pokemon. Tia had given it a hard time and almost won. Had Growlithe woken up a few moments later, Tia's close range Draining Kiss would've sealed its fate.

"It's too bad that you can't use Stud," Ash said confidently as he released his second Pokemon. "Ignis would've loved to get his revenge, but he'll make do by beating whichever Pokemon you have for now."

"So, it's evolved," Gary smirked. Ash felt a hint of enthusiasm in Gary's words but only for a moment. "Too bad for you that you've set such unrealistic goals for your Charmeleon."

"We'll see about that, won't we?" Ash scoffed. "Ignis, get in close and use Slash!"

"Wait for it to come to you and then Bite," Gary said to his Pokemon.

While training in the week remaining before the departure of the S.S. Anne, Ignis had learned Slash. It was an enhanced version of Scratch, which Ignis already knew, so he didn't need to practice much to use it properly.

Ignis and Growlithe charged at one another. Ignis' claw glowed silver while Growlithe opened its mouth wide. As the two neared each other, the Charmeleon brought down his claws and slammed them on Growlithe's face. Before it could even complete its own move, Ignis roared and slashed with his other hand as well. The force of the impact sent Growlithe soaring backwards through the field.

Gary gritted his teeth at the outcome. "Charmeleon's a lot stronger than last time," he muttered but was loud enough for Ash to catch the words, recalling his fainted Growlithe.

Ash grinned. "Way to go, Ignis!" Even though Growlithe was already on its last legs after its battle with Tia, the efficient way in which Ignis finished the battle made him extremely happy. After evolution, the Flame Pokemon seemed to have developed an instinct that would make his foes fear him.

"Let's see how you handle this," Gary's grin returned as he drew a Pokeball from his pocket. The Pokemon he'd chosen was a round shaped, rocky body with two arms.

"Going for the type advantage with a Graveler," Ash smiled. Ignis' biggest weakness apart from water-types were rock and ground-type Pokemon. "It doesn't matter. Ignis, try Metal Claw!"

"Close it off," Gary called. "Use Rollout."

Ignis had dashed towards Graveler showing its superior speed, but just as he was about to slam his shining claws into Graveler, the rock-type curled itself into a ball and began rolling. Ignis bolted to his left to avoid the close-range attack.

"That might be a problem to get through," Ash scowled. "Don't let it near you while it's rolling for now. Get back and use Dragon Rage!"

As Graveler's rolling body turned around and rushed towards Ignis yet again, the Charmeleon formed an orb of draconic energy and fired a thick stream towards Graveler. The energy wrapped around Graveler tightly, but fizzled out like a short in seconds. Ignis narrowly leaped out of the way again.

But Ash noticed Graveler getting faster. Regardless, this was also a chance to keep on wearing down Graveler's defences.

"Dragon Rage again," Ash ordered.

"Keep going, Graveler," Gary said, stamping his foot forward as he encouraged his rock-type.

A repeat of their previous clash happened with Ignis hitting Graveler with his draconic stream. Though, this time, when Ignis tried to slide away from the incoming rock, Graveler took a sharp turn and struck it in the gut. Ignis let out grunts of pain as the attack flung him backwards, skidding the ground, trying desperately to regain traction.

Gary pumped his fists. "Again, Graveler!"

Ash waited for a moment to give out his next command. Rollout wouldn't last much longer so should he try to get another hit on Graveler at the risk of Ignis being unable to evade it, or should he just take the safer option? Finally, he ordered, "Wait for it, and dodge at the last moment."

Graveler rolled back again towards Ignis who didn't try to attack this time. He stared daggers into the rolling Pokemon, watching it inch closer and just as it was inches away from him, Ignis jumped to his left swiftly. Graveler finally halted its movements and stood again. The two Pokemon glared and roared at one another.

"Now Magnitude!" Gary ordered.

There was no chance to evade it.

"Take it on, Ignis," Ash bit his lip. He wasn't fond of letting his Pokemon take direct hits on purpose. "Then close in and use Metal Claw."

Graveler jumped and then landed back on the ground again, sending shockwaves throughout the field. Some debris whirled up from the ground and even went into the eyes of the people watching who turned to shield their faces. Ignis let out a low grunt as he braced himself, and when he was ready, dashed forward with his claws shining silver.

"Rock Throw when it's close, Graveler!" Gary shouted.

"Keep using Metal Claw to fight it off for as long as you can," Ash said.

As Ignis slashed Graveler with his steel-like claws, it wailed but formed rocks around its body and aimed them towards its foe. Ignis, meanwhile, kept hacking it with his claws relentlessly, even slashing the incoming rocks. Even as the stones that he couldn't thrash ripped his skin, he didn't let up his assault.

"That's the way, Ignis," Ash pumped his fist ardently. "Keep at it, and then finish it with Dragon Rage!"

"Quickly, get into Rollout!" Gary's face paled as he shouted. It seemed he hadn't expected Ignis to take on Rock Throw without so much as flinching.

Ignis slid his claws into Graveler once more before he jumped a few steps backwards and charged draconic energy in his maw. Just as the Graveler was about to curl into itself, the Dragon Rage struck it and it went down with a wail.

Ash smiled when he saw that Graveler didn't move. "You were great, Ignis!" He walked forward and petted Ignis on the head, who roared in acknowledgement after a hard stare at Gary.

Gary recalled his Graveler and walked towards Ash. "Dammit, Ketchum!" he jeered. "You somehow won this time."

Ash lightly tapped Ignis with his Pokeball and turned to look at Gary. "What did I tell you?" he smirked.

Gary shrugged at that before smiling. "Don't get too cocky. We're still even."

"Not for long," Ash said tauntingly. "You'll be lagging behind after our next battle."

"That's the Ash and Gary I know," Steven commented from beside them. "You two just keep going at each other, don't you?"

Ash scratched the back of his head and smiled. "That's how it is. Gary needs someone to keep him in check," Ash laughed after he said that. This was all the banter that he loved having with Gary. They'd had this plenty of times already, and he didn't mind if it continued to be that way. He had to admit that Gary was annoying at times with his jibes, but Ash knew that it was all in good humour. At least, that's how he saw it.

"How about you keep yourself in check?" Gary snickered. "Anyway, let's get our Pokemon healed up before we do anything else."

"Yeah," Ash nodded at the suggestion. He didn't enjoy keeping his Pokemon injured for long. He glanced around to check if Brock was back and saw him walking towards them. "Hey, Brock," he called. "Thanks for taking Kaiser to the Pokemon Center."

Brock stopped in front of Ash and smiled. "Don't mention it. Here's Kaiser's Pokeball. He's all healed up."

Ash took the Pokeball from Brock and attached it to his belt. "Me and Gary just had a battle so we're going back to the Pokemon Center."

Brock's face perked up. "I don't mind visiting the Pokemon Center again and again."

Ash half-laughed at that, raising an eyebrow. "That's… interesting. But since you want to become a Pokemon doctor, I can somewhat understand that." He'd stopped short of revealing his true thoughts at the matter. He hadn't forgotten Brock awkwardly staring at Nurse Joy when they'd first entered Vermilion City. And based on those assumptions, he could make a guess why Brock loved visiting the Pokemon Center too often.

All four of them went to the Pokemon Center on the left of the hall and let the Pokemon that had battled get checked up and healed. There were 2 counters in the Pokemon Center, each minded by a Nurse Joy. Since he'd seen the same doors on the right side of the hall too, Ash figured that there might be three more of the same there. The S.S. Anne was amazing indeed.

---

Later that day, the group spent most of their afternoon on a tour of the main hall of the ship. They checked out the various shops, some sold TMs and others had various Pokemon guide books which covered topics such as Gym battles, Pokemon Contests and even Pokemon Performances. Not to mention the several shops selling various items Pokemon could use, including evolution stones.

Certain things interested Ash, but he didn't have too much use for them for now. He thought about buying the TM for Flamethrower but decided against it, because he thought that Ignis was on the verge of learning it anyway. It was an attack that came naturally to a fire-type, so he'd be working on strengthening Ember and turning it into Flamethrower soon enough. Then, he could even teach Kaiser the fire-type move, something that he needed to enhance his movepool.

Once evening came, the crowds in the main hall dwindled to only a few in sight. Ash yawned, drowsiness tugging lightly at his eyelids. The explosive battles around him turned to meager chit chats with an occasional good night.

Ash and Brock shared a room but Gary and Steven both had rooms in different sections of the ship, so the group parted after having dinner. Their room was fairly spacious with two beds, not dissimilar to the ones they had shared in the Pokemon Center. Although, these beds seemed a lot more luxurious and comfortable.

As Ash sat on his bed and opened his backpack, he saw a glint bleeding out from inside of it. It was the feather that he'd found in one of his nights in Viridian Forest, not long after he'd started his journey. It had shone the same hue of rainbow colors that night too, he recalled. That was the reason he'd picked it up after it had fallen from the night sky. It seemed special, hence why he hadn't shown it to anybody yet. He'd decided to ask Professor Oak about it, but he'd forgotten until now.

The glow on the feather became fainter and fainter. Ash tucked it back inside his bag, deciding to research more about it later. His eyelids drooped and slowly became heavier, the bedroom becoming a chromatic blur. 5 more days to go before they reached the Sevii Islands. He let his loose body fall on the soft mattress, letting out a low moan as the fluffy sheets cushioned his fall. Closing his eyes, he fell asleep not long after.

---

The next morning, Ash and Brock met up with Gary and Steven again. They observed a few battles in the main hall after having breakfast, and had a few battles themselves with the other trainers on board. Ash got a few matches in for everyone, but made sure that Tia and Trooper had more opportunities since they had limited experience in battle. It had been good practice for his Pokemon, and even though he'd lost a couple of battles along the way, against older and more experienced Pokemon trainers, they helped him and his Pokemon grow. All of those things had proved fruitful.

Ash now stood with Trooper against a trainer's Quilava. The guy said he was from the neighbouring Johto region and had begun his journey not too long ago. Trooper landed a few direct hits on his foe and had him on the ropes, although Quilava's speed had troubled him.

"Get in close and use Cross Chop," Ash said calmly.

"Flamethrower around you!" Ash's opponent yelled out quickly.

Trooper crossed his fists and dashed, evading the flames that Quilava spat his way. He yelped in pain when another flurry of Flamethrower singed him, some of the cream fur on his body turning black. But he fought through it and charged as its glowing fists slammed into Quilava's head, the fire-type letting out a final cry before its body stooped to the ground and ceased any movement.

The trainer sighed as he recalled his Quilava. "You did well."

Ash meanwhile smiled at Trooper, who'd walked back to his trainer and jumped around in joy. Ash bent down and petted the Mankey. "Great job, Trooper." He'd shown incredible growth as a battler.

Ash recalled Trooper and walked towards his opponent. "That was a good match," He said as he offered a handshake.

"Your Mankey is pretty good," The trainer complimented him as they shook hands.

As Ash walked towards Brock, who was standing on the side of the battlefield, he noticed someone walk towards him.

"Hi!" The boy greeted them. He wore a jacket over his green shirt. Ash noted that he was probably around his age.

"Hello," Ash greeted back.

"My name's Ritchie," The boy said with a warm smile.

"I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash introduced himself. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you, too!" Ritchie exclaimed exuberantly. "I've seen a few of your battles from today and yesterday. Do you mind battling with me too?"

Ash grinned at the question. "I'm all for it. I doubt anyone would deny a Pokemon battle here."

"That's great!" Ritchie yelped excitedly. He got his Pokeball ready as soon as Ash had accepted his challenge. "Is a 1-on-1 battle fine with you?"

"Sure, that works," Ash agreed.

The two stood on opposite sides of the field a few moments later.

"Go, Sparky!" Ritchie called as he raised his Pokeball, and out of it came a Pikachu. It had a few spiky hairs that stuck up from the rest of its fur.

Ash thought about his choice for a moment before selecting a Pokeball from his belt. He let out Ava, who chirped her arrival, spreading her wings and taking flight a few feet above the ground. Ash wanted to check out how her recent training would benefit against an electric-type Pokemon. It was, after all, partly aimed towards countering that weakness of hers.

Ritchie's eyes widened at Ash's choice. "A Pidgeotto?" he questioned blankly. "You knew I was using Sparky and still went with a flying-type?"

"Don't underestimate Ava just because she's at a type disadvantage," Ash warned with a smirk. "You might be surprised."

"No way am I underestimating it," Ritchie said sincerely. "Sparky, let's test it out with Thunderbolt!"

"Use Quick Attack to dodge," Ash commanded. "and then use Aerial Ace."

As bolts of yellow electricity surged towards her from Ritchie's Pikachu's cheeks, Ava flew higher up, speeding up her movements with Quick Attack. She avoided all of the shocks that flew her way and ascended even more. She then dove with all the momentum behind her, silver streaks enveloping some of her body. As she neared the Pikachu, it ran back, narrowly jumping out of the way before Ava hit her mark the next time.

"Thunderbolt right now!" Ritchie called out hastily.

On command, Pikachu let loose another bolt of electricity from its cheeks that zoomed in on Ava. The bird Pokemon's wings glowed silver as she dug one of them into the ground. Even as the Thunderbolt struck her, she shook it off, effectively halving the damage.

That was what Ash had been training with her for over the past month now. She'd perfected Steel Wing recently after tons of training and this was one of the reasons Ash wanted her to learn it. The move not only countered her weakness to rock-type Pokemon, but could also be used in situations like these if she could ground her wings while using it. It reduced the damage from electric-type moves significantly because of the physics involved.

Ritchie's mouth twitched. "Why does it look like Thunderbolt didn't do much to Pidgeotto?" he mouthed in surprise. "Did that Steel Wing reduce the damage?"

"Yeah," Ash said. "Steel Wing when grounded can take out a lot of the damage from electric-type moves, but it's got its limits. The Pokemon has to be quick enough to get the timing exactly right. If they're not, it'd be better to just try to avoid the attack."

Ritchie grinned. "That's something I'll have to try out, then. Sparky, let's use Quick Attack,"

"Use your Quick Attack too, Ava," Ash said just as he saw Sparky dash in a zigzag pattern on all fours. "Then Aerial Ace."

Ava's tail sparked a small air current as she moved into her fastest attack, meeting with the incoming Pikachu. The collision of the two Quick Attacks pushed both Pokemon backwards. Ava recovered quickly and soared towards the ceiling.

"Thunderbolt before it hits you!" Ritchie shouted worriedly.

Ash didn't call for a move, simply watching Ava gain speed as she dove towards Sparky. It was too late to change tactics at this point. The Pikachu cried out and shot electricity at the incoming Ava. The speed of the attack was such that she couldn't move out of the way in time, whimpering when the bolt jolted across her feathers. But she pushed through and crashed into Sparky with all the power she had.

Both Pokemon laid on the ground, Ava on top of Pikachu. A few seconds passed and Ava shakily stood up with a chirp, her eyes fixated on Sparky beneath her. The rodent, though, showed no signs of getting up.

"That's enough, Ava," Ash called, in response to which his flying-type flew back and landed in front of him. He stroked her soft feathers, earning himself a loving chirp. He was careful not to touch the injured parts of her body. Those Thunderbolts from Pikachu had given her a hard time. "You've gotten really good at Steel Wing." Once she'd given him another merry coo after acknowledging his words, he tapped her softly with her Pokeball.

Ritchie rushed towards his fallen Pikachu and took the small rodent in his arms, muttering to the unconscious Pokemon. Recalling it into its Pokeball, he stood up to see Ash walking towards him. "Your Pidgeotto's something," he complimented with a smile as he accepted Ash's handshake. "My Sparky's pretty strong, but your Pidgeotto beat him even at a disadvantage."

"Thanks," Ash said. He made an awkward face at the praise. "Type advantages aren't always the be-all and end-all in battles. The right matchups are more important," he scratched his head. "Well, that's what I think anyway. But Ava's worked very hard to fight against her weaknesses."

"So that's why you used Ava against my Pikachu?" Ritchie cocked his head. "Did you think it was a good matchup for you?"

"Not exactly," Ash said and wrinkled his nose in thought. Ritchie eyed him questioningly at the response. "I did think that Ava's speed would be a good counter for Pikachu's natural speed, but if I'm being completely honest, I just wanted Ava to fight at a type-disadvantage. Fighting against the odds gets you ready to counter such situations when you've got no other choice, know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Ritchie agreed. "I'm with you on that. Fighting against weakness so that it's no longer a weakness..." he trailed off in thought, his gaze fluttering away before returning to Ash. "That battle taught me a lot. Thanks, Ash!"

Ash chuckled. Ritchie seemed like a genuine guy. "Yeah, it was fun. Let's battle again sometime."

"Sure," Ritchie said and turned around. "Anyway, I've got some friends to meet up with. I only came here to ask you for a battle after I saw some of yours. Catch you later!"

Ash waved back at Ritchie who began running after sending a wave his way.

---

Later that day, Ash met back up with the others and caught up with them. Gary had gone around battling like a madman. Steven had shown more restraint, only battling trainers he found interesting while also taking his time to explore the ship. In fact, he'd had Brock accompany him most of that day.

Ash could imagine the two getting along well. He wasn't sure if Brock was into the same things as Steven, but him being a rock-type Gym Leader, even if it was out of responsibility rather than will, must have made him knowledgeable in those topics. And from what he gathered from Surge's words about Brock's father, Brock having a fair bit of understanding in the subject wouldn't be shocking.

The group decided to check out the battling arena, the special battle room, after a delicious lunch.

Gary whistled as he entered. "Now that's something!"

Ash understood the reason for Gary's excitement when he laid eyes on the stadium. The ground was massive, divided into two battlefields with plenty of space in between. There were referees wearing uniforms standing between both battlefields, Ash noted they must be the trained referees he'd heard about. Glancing around the enormous bleachers, he deduced that they could house hundreds of spectators easily, if not thousands. It was half-full , and the deafening cheers reverberated through his ears. The abrupt change dropped his jaw low as he continued onward, the sounds blared louder with each step. He mused over the impressive soundproofing housing the commotion from inside.

"That's quite a sight," Steven remarked, entering the arena after Ash. "No wonder it's called a heaven for trainers."

"What were we doing not coming here for so long?" Ash laughed, shaking his head. He followed Gary, who'd already walked down towards a somewhat empty section of the bleachers.

As Ash took a seat next to Gary, he noticed his rival remove his Pokedex. He followed Gary's gaze to find a Pokemon which at first seemed like Pikachu, but he realized soon enough that it wasn't. The Pokemon was a lot chubbier for one, but then, it also had different colored fur on both sides; its right side was brown while its left side had a shade of black. Ash narrowed his eyes, storming his brain in search of the name of that Pokemon. He's seen pictures of that species before, but never in person.

"What is that called?" Ash grumbled, eyes squinting as he couldn't recall its name.

"That's a Morpeko," Brock said, taking a seat next to Steven who'd sat down next to Ash. "From the Galar region."

Right after that, Gary's Pokedex spoke. "Morpeko, the Two-sided Pokemon. As it eats the seeds stored up in its pocket-like pouches, this Pokémon is not just satisfying its constant hunger. It's also generating electricity. This Pokemon can change its form depending on the mood it's in."

"Those Pokemon are pretty common in Galar," Brock added. "But I've heard they're not found much in these parts of the world."

"Something to do with their habitat, if I remember correctly," Ash said as he recalled some of what he'd learned in his younger days, observing the battle that the Morpeko was in. Its trainer was a young girl with black hair dressed a pink dress under a black jacket. The Morpeko surrounded itself in blue electricity and charged towards its foe, a Nidorina. The poison-type's horn shone but before it could complete the move, its body crackled with electricity when the Morpeko rushed into it.

"Spark," Gary mumbled at the attack that won Morpeko the match.

"It packs quite the punch, that little guy," Steven smiled, impressed at the attack displayed by the Galarian Pokemon. "That Nidorina didn't look like it had taken many attacks before that one."

"Yeah," Ash muttered.

"That's her sixth win in a row!" A boy exclaimed from behind Ash. "She's just been having one battle after another and hasn't lost once."

"That's pretty impressive," Steven said, looking back at the field after he glanced at the boy who'd said that. "She might have other Pokemon from that region."

"That's it!" Gary yelled as he stood up and walked towards the stairs. "I'm gonna go beat her!"

"Someone's looking forward to getting beaten to the ground," Ash laughed but Gary wandered off before he made the comment. He snorted at the realization that he wasn't half as good as Gary at getting under people's skin. Not that he aspired to be, but with Gary, things were fun.

"It's been a while since I've seen him so excited," Steven said with a snicker. "Let's see what happens."

Steven stood up from his seat and headed after Gary. Ash and Brock followed suit. They descended the stairs and saw Gary stride to where the girl stood. A closer look at the girl's hairstyle made Ash cock an eyebrow. Her black hair was tied back in twin tails with the tufts on the back of her head. Ash had to admit that her hairstyle was pretty unique.

"I hear you're pretty strong," Gary smirked at her. Arrogance practically bleeded from his tone but the girl didn't even blink at it. "Let's see if you can handle my Pokemon."

"I'm sorry, but I've had enough battles for now," The girl glanced at Gary for barely a second with a blank expression before she turned around. "Please excuse me."

Gary's eyebrows twitched. He stood there, dumbfounded as he watched the back of the girl disappear into one of the entrances to the stadium hall, his mouth still agape.

"Looks like you got shot down, Gary," Ash couldn't help but chuckle at his rival being rejected for a Pokemon battle. "Better luck next time."

Steven and Brock didn't say anything, but even they couldn't stop a few silenced snickers.

"That bitch!" Gary's jaw clenched. He turned around and began to leave, slamming his feet on the ground at every step. All of his earlier excitement had turned into rage after that little turn of events.

"Come on now, Gary," Steven said as he followed and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "From what we heard from that guy, she'd been battling for a while so it's only natural she'd be a bit tired after that."

Gary stopped walking but didn't glance back. "Did you see her attitude?!"

"Don't be so salty, Gary," Ash sneered. "You might've done that to someone as well, but you never noticed it. It's not her fault. Besides, you can battle her again. We've got a lot of time left so I'm sure she'll be here again."

Brock didn't intervene, standing stoically beside Ash.

"But you know, Gary," Ash's lips curled into a teasing smirk. "It's rare to see you get so worked up over something. It's usually you who's the one acting all high and mighty."

Gary had been like that for as long as he remembered. Proud, carefree, and somewhat arrogant. Of course, by now, Ash could see through most of his attempts at taunting others. It used to get on his skin, but he'd been on the receiving end of it for so long as a kid that he simply ignored them now. Gary didn't do that as much as he used to, but people don't change completely. The guy would do anything for a bit of fun. Not that Ash particularly minded that now. It actually made him feel refreshed.

Gary looked at Ash, blinked, and then sighed. "You're right for once, Ketchum," He seemed to ignore the 'high and mighty' part. The young Oak ran a hand through his hair, wiggling it messily. "I just wanted to battle that Morpeko of hers."

"And, you're not used to being rejected like that," Ash waggled his eyebrows.

"Whatever!" Gary waved him off. "I'm getting hungry. Let's go have something to eat."

---

The group had gone to the dining hall and feasted on the delicacies on offer. Like the two days prior, the hall was filled to the core, people coming in just as quickly as others left. But, given the sheer size of the room, it was hardly a problem to fit them. Chatters filled the air as young people, mostly trainers from what Ash could make of them, talked to one another. Some conversations interested Ash as he strolled by, taking any piece of food that interested him. The variety that was on offer had made Ash overwhelmed on what to eat, but that had been the case for the two days he'd been there prior.

After having had his fill, Ash had gone to the room that allowed the trainers to let out their Pokemon to eat. Brock, Steven and Gary still hadn't finished eating, so he went on ahead without them. He'd battled a fair bit in the morning – more so than either Gary or Steven – so he figured that he should fill their tummies as soon as possible. The dining hall had strict restrictions that no Pokemon should be released and one could get in trouble if they didn't follow the rules in place. Ash had let out all six of his Pokemon and given them the food he'd bought on the ship.

Unlike food for people, Pokemon food wasn't included in the ticket, although there was no restriction on taking food from the dining hall and feeding it to their Pokemon. Ash could see some trainers doing exactly that, and their Pokemon seemed to enjoy it. He made a mental note to let his Pokemon have their share of the exquisite cuisine. Usually, he only fed his Pokemon food that was nutritious to them, even if he took care to buy stuff that tasted good. He didn't want his Pokemon to eat because they had to; he wanted them to enjoy the activity. just as much as he did.

Ash hadn't decided on what to do for the rest of the day. Battles? Maybe later in the evening, but he'd had enough for now. And even though he got his Pokemon healed up after most of his battles, he didn't want to overexert them. Not that they'd complained about battling. From what he could make of it, they seemed to savour every moment they spent there, some more than others of course. Tia looked happier when he talked to her than when battling, but she seemed to enjoy it nonetheless.

Ash now sat with the rest of the group in the main hall. There was going to be a Pokemon Performance after lunch and he was looking forward to it. He'd watched a few Pokemon Performances every now and then on TV, but they weren't something he cared for. He had to admit, though, that watching people and Pokemon put on a show that showcased their beauty was something that intrigued him. Not as much as Pokemon battles, but it was fun from time to time.

"It's about to begin," Ash muttered into Gary's ears, getting his attention away from the door he'd been staring at. Was he waiting for someone? He hadn't known Gary had any friends on board apart from them.

The woman on stage, who wore a stunning red dress that stopped at her heels, bowed before the audience. She tossed up two Pokeballs which snapped open in a glitter of gold and red lights which faded after a few more seconds. A Vulpix did a flip and landed on the stage, cooing her arrival and earning a round of cheers from the spectators. A Togetic spread its wings and cried out before a few golden stars shot out from underneath those tiny, spluttering wings. The stars collided with one another at the top of the two Pokemon, the glow enveloping them.

"That's actually pretty cool, I have to say," Gary chortled, leaning back into his seat.

Ash hummed. "More so because we don't see these things too often." He said as the woman spun around, her Vulpix streamed a Fire Spin attack around her which didn't touch a single hair on her body. Togetic growled gleefully as a flutter of her tiny wings caused a rainbow-colored gust to surround the stage. It met with the spinning flames and spread them out as tiny embers quivered in all directions.

A thunderous thud shook the entire hall violently. The performer fell on her knees, tumbling on the stage from the shockwave.

What just happened?

Ash noticed a few employees of the S.S. Anne running around from hall to hall, phones in their hands as some of them talked into their walkie talkies. The screen in the middle of the hall had an emergency display asking everyone to not panic, but also not to move around until they uncovered the source.

Gunshot sounds erupted, echoing in Ash's ear repeatedly. Stiff as a board, unsettling anxiety pushed at his neck as he tried to glance around the room. Another loud bang thumped, closer. Ash honed in on the sound as sweat beaded along his forehead. He walked towards the nearby banister, where smokey trails wisped from downstairs. The culprit, adorned in a white shirt, shamelessly brandished the silver barrel of the gun high. He slowly unbuttoned the top, revealing a massive R on its center.

"Team Rocket!" Ash exclaimed, his nostrils flaring. "Again!"

"We are Team Rocket!" The man announced loudly. "If you don't want to end up in a mess, don't move a muscle, and don't try anything stupid. We have the entire ship under our control!"

In a few more seconds, more people wearing Team Rocket uniforms gathered around the hall, most of them men though a few were women. The panic caused a few people to scream, but another gunshot from a different Team Rocket member, this one on the backside of the hall, made those murmurs turn to silence.

"How did they take over so quickly?" Steven muttered, his gaze fixed on the first Team Rocket member who'd revealed himself. "We only just heard that blast! What was that?"

"I don't think it was a blast," Brock grumbled in response. "It sounded more like someone had messed with the ship's engine or something."

"Now," The member who was descending from the stairs in the front began, his voice resounding within the silence. A few more Team Rocket members appeared behind him and made their way down the stairs. "I'll give all of you a chance: Surrender all of your Pokemon and you'll be spared!"

Guns weren't a threat to most Pokemon. There was a reason that firearms and bombs weren't used in conflicts very often. There was no point in spending so much money and resources on these weapons when battling with Pokemon was far more efficient.

And these weapons could barely do anything to stronger Pokemon. The more powerful Pokemon could easily cause much more destruction with their attacks than most weapons could, short of nuclear ones, and they could do it repeatedly. That made these weapons against Pokemon redundant. Almost useless.

The bodies of Pokemon were much sturdier than humans, and their recovery rate was almost astounding. That was the reason that Pokemon could be wounded badly but recover to their prior states so quickly. If a human sustained such injuries, they would most likely be in bed for months, if not years.

However, that didn't mean that all Pokemon were immune to these things. The ones with weaker physical constitution, and younger Pokemon, still faced a threat. Even the more powerful beasts couldn't turn a blind eye to chemical weapons like hydrogen or nuclear bombs. But such scenarios were impractical because of the difficulty involved in producing even a single one of those. And it didn't serve any purpose, even for terrorist organisations like Team Rocket.

"Dammit!" Gary cursed, gritting his teeth. "These guys!"

Ash's blood boiled hotter than lava.

Just as Ash was about to reach for his Pokeball belt to let his Pokemon fight, he felt an arm holding him. "Don't Ash," Brock mumbled, sharply looking at Ash. "Fighting like this will cause more chaos, which will only help Team Rocket get what they want."

Ash gritted his teeth. "But those guys…" he recalled how hopeless he'd felt when he was up against Allison and her monstrous Venusaur. That was the time he'd decided that he'd put an end to Team Rocket. Could he simply look the other way while they threatened to steal Pokemon from trainers? No, he couldn't.

"He's right, Ash," Steven said, stepping closer to him. His voice didn't seem as calm as it usually sounded. "The security in the S.S. Anne is tight and they've got several high class police officers inside. We just have to remain calm and wait until they act."

Ash loosened his hand on the Pokeball and stared at the Team Rocket member who'd just spoken. Brock and Steven were right. It was better to leave this to the people who specialized in situations such as these. For now, at least.

The Team Rocket member's declaration had caused another uproar in the crowd, this time even more severe than the one about a minute back when Team Rocket made their appearance. Trainers from around the hall screeched at the Team Rocket members, some even called out their Pokemon. Team Rocket members silenced a few of them, releasing their own Pokemon while the remaining retaliated. It had become a frenzy as fights broke out; most between Pokemon but some even amongst Team Rocket and civilians.

Another gunshot reverberated throughout the hall, but heads turned towards a ghastly scene of blood spurting from a young trainer.. He screamed in agony, falling to his knees as more blood gushed from his left arm.

"You son of a bitch!" A man hollered as he released a Poliwhirl from his Pokeball. Several others followed suit.

"Those filthy bastards!" Ash could barely keep calm at that point. His previous encounter with Team Rocket had left him seething at them as it is, but now another attempt at terrorism? No, this wasn't an attempt. This was terrorism.

He'd had it with them. He unclipped all of his Pokeballs bar Kabuto's, and out came his Pokemon with battle cries. Their expressions changed as soon as they realized the situation around them. They hissed dangerously, taking fighting stances and gathering around their trainer.

This time, neither Brock nor Steven stopped him. Steven called out his Metagross and Armaldo, the latter being the first time Ash saw that Steven owned one. Brock called his Geodude while Gary released his Wartortle, Growlithe and Scyther.

Around the hall, several other trainers did the same. This had turned out to be an all out fight that messily shook the massive room as several battles ensued at the same time.

Stones pelted, flames whizzed and leaves and whines darted across the hall. Snarls and shrieks rang from Pokemon and people alike as clouds of poison misted the hall from the fusion of the violent moves in the fight that engulfed the enormous room. Onslaughts of attacks resonated through the room, but even the loudest screams paled to a whisper, their cries silenced in the mayhem. Neither the Team Rocket members nor the passengers were spared in the gruesome clash. The rampaging Pokemon from either side blasted doors and electronic devices. The walls, which glittered a gorgeous white not so long ago, stained ruby red.

The men who'd entered from the front also sent out their Pokemon. Since Ash had a seat very close to the front of the hall, he faced the grunts who'd begun the hijacking. The group released several Houndoom, a few Raticate and Golbat and some Weezing, amongst other Pokemon.

"Attack Team Rocket!" Ash yelled, pointing his hand towards the guy in the middle, who had a few people around him. "Ava, use Aerial Ace! Trooper, Cross Chop! The rest of you, attack from a distance. Ignis and Kaiser, use Dragon Rage! Tia, use Disarming Voice!" he stamped his foot on the floor. "Don't hold anything back!"

Brock, Steven and Gary all ordered their Pokemon to attack as well. It was a frenzied mess of attacks from both sides as even more trainers joined in. They couldn't do much, even if the Pokemon of the Team Rocket members were strong. Metagross ceaselessly shot Flash Cannons, the sheer force of its attacks knocking out some of the Pokemon in a single blow. The rock-types sent hordes of stones towards their foes while Gary's Wartortle – Stud – launched his water-type moves to complement them. Dragon Rage and Disarming Voice almost fused together, the contrasting type attacks striking the confused Pokemon of Team Rocket, who could only manage so many attacks at a time before their bodies gave in.

Ava ascended, whizzing out of the way of a Flamethrower that headed her way. Her eyes honed on the Houndoom that had just launched that flurry of flames as she zoomed in on it, streaks of silver energy swiveling around her body. A Water Pulse from Stud struck the Dark Pokemon while it eyed the bird like prey, and she crashed her body into the Houndoom, sending it groaning a few feet back.

Trooper hissed as a Golbat struck its wings on him, but he recovered quickly and swatted it with his fists before it could get away. A few metres away from him, Brock's Geodude fired rocks from its body and caught another one of Team Rocket's Golbat unawares, which slammed on the ground unconscious.

On the basis of sheer numbers, Team Rocket was immensely overwhelmed. And that showed everywhere in the hall as more and more of Team Rocket's Pokemon fell. The grunts were being tied up by some of the older trainers, and security personnel surrounded the hall now. Even if most of the trainers were fairly young, Team Rocket's Pokemon couldn't take the sheer multitude of attacks for too long.

The man who had so confidently asserted his authority not more than a few minutes ago now appeared to be scurrying for his life. He sweated, hyperventilating as he stumbled his way back where he'd come from, but he had several people in tow. A stray attack from a Pokemon disarmed him, leaving him defenseless after his Pokemon fainted one by one.

"Ava, Wing Attack on him! Don't let him get away!" Ash commanded, his voice barely a croak. His body trembled and eyes twitched. He had no hesitation to attack people like Team Rocket now. He would order his Pokemon to do so without a second thought.

Ava chirped, hesitantly glancing at her trainer for a moment but his facial expression made her throw away any qualms she had about carrying out her orders. In a moment, she'd homed in on the Team Rocket grunt, gashing at his legs which made a rush of blood splatter the floor and brought him to his knees, screaming and wailing.

Several more of the security guards made their way inside, a few Officer Jennys also hared inside behind the guards. A slightly older Jenny entered from where the grunt was trying to escape. Behind her was a massive canine who jumped forward and bared its fangs at the Team Rocket grunt thrashing about on the ground.

"Everyone stop!" The Jenny with a slightly wrinkled face shouted at the top of her lungs.

Her voice was domineering, not too dissimilar to how Allison, the Team Rocket Commander Ash had encountered near Cerulean City, sounded. Yet, it was different from hers. It didn't contain the cynical intentions that the Team Rocket Commander's voice possessed. It was almost comforting. Ash found himself awed at her Arcanine. One roar from its vicious maw had the Team Rocket member unconscious. Its magnificent form stood proudly next to its trainer, its piercing gaze firmly scanning the hall from one corner to another. It was a veteran of these situations, its majestic presence proof enough.

"I ask that you please stay where you are until we're able to secure all the members of Team Rocket and their Pokemon." Officer Jenny's voice reverberated through the humongous room, ceasing the uproar of the crowd in mere moments.

The officers that had arrived with her encircled the room, a few with their Pokemon - mostly Growlithe, Machoke, or Kadabra - in tow. They took charge of any Team Rocket members or Pokemon in the vicinity, mopping them up. Nurses and doctors also strode in from the Pokemon Center, swiftly tending to wounded Pokemon and trainers alike. The young man who'd been shot was carried on a stretcher by two men after they'd administered first aid, however, he remained conscious.

Ash sighed. That had been hectic. The battle had barely been a few minutes, but it felt like all of it had gone on for much longer. As he glanced around the room and watched Team Rocket being mopped up by the police in cooperation with S.S. Anne's security, his mind wandered off. Why had Team Rocket done all of this? What was their reason for trying to take over the S.S. Anne?

"Why would they try such a half-baked attempt at stealing Pokemon?" Ash mused. "It doesn't make sense."

"What do you think was their motive?" That voice brought Ash back to reality as he turned to his left. "No matter how you look at it, this is not how Team Rocket usually operates."

The man who'd just appeared next to Ash had black hair and wore a long, brown coat. Ash thought dressed like a detective or an undercover police officer seen in movies. Ash's lips parted as he was about to speak, but Steven beat him to it.

"So you mean to say this was a distraction?" Steven said, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the man.

"I'm afraid so," The man replied. "They planned this well. These people were mere grunts, sacrificed for one of their grand plans." There was a hint of anger in his tone, his fists clenching once he'd finished.

"But isn't this too obvious?" Ash questioned, turning towards the man. He couldn't imagine such a plan being fruitful. "It serves no purpose."

"That's not exactly the case," The man said. "At first glance, it might look like it's meaningless, but by hijacking the ship, no matter how sloppily, they've threatened the lives of thousands of people." He sighed, shaking his head. Ash reflexively relaxed his fists. "There's no way the police can just ignore this, even if it's merely a distraction. They'll have to take security measures, call for backup and make sure this ship gets back to Vermilion City safely. There's no compromising on that."

"That makes sense," Steven nodded, stroking his chin. He shook his head and let out a snort. "There's no telling if there are more Team Rocket members onboard. And they might've compromised something on the ship already."

"As terrifying as that is to think, there's a high possibility of that being the case," Brock added his thoughts to the mix. Ash noticed the unease on his features as the tanned trainer wiped a few drops of sweat from his face.

"Fuck Team Rocket!" Gary sneered, his arms folded. He'd clearly seen better days. Ash rarely found him this aggravated. "They've just gotta mess with everything! There goes my trip to the Sevii islands."

Ash snickered when he heard Gary's words. Even through all of this mess, the guy was still thinking about the trip, which should've been the least of their concerns at the moment. Though, Ash had to admit that this attitude was typical Gary. That made Ash feel a bit better. His rage had calmed slightly, even if his blood still boiled at the thought of what had just transpired.

"It is what it is though," the older man groaned. "It's not something you boys need to worry about." A wry smile crossed his features as he glanced at Gary and then at Ash. "You're far too young to have your mind involved with Team Rocket. Leave it to us adults. That's what we're here for."

Ash breathed in, glanced at the ceiling and smiled at the man. Maybe he was right. He needed to let it go; for now, at least. "Thanks, mister…" Ash trailed off, wondering what the name of the man was.

Noticing Ash's raised eyebrow, the man chuckled. "My name is Looker, and I'm a member of the International Police."

Ash blinked for a moment. Looker was an odd name, but he figured soon enough that it might've been a codename. And he thought better not to query about it. The man probably had his reasons. "Mr. Looker," Ash repeated and smiled. The man offered him a hand which he gladly shook. "I'm Ash Ketchum."

"It's always nice to find such brave young men," Looker said, still retaining the smile. He glanced towards Gary and offered him a handshake as well.

"Gary Oak," Gary said.

Looker then moved to Steven and did the same. "Steven Stone from Hoenn," introduced Steven, taking a step forward and meeting Looker's hand.

"Ahh." Looker's lips twitched into an even bigger smile. "Devon Corporation's Mr. Stone's son?"

"Yes," Steven gave him a quizzical look. "Do you perhaps know my father?"

"I'm acquainted with him," Looker nodded but then turned to shake Brock's hand.

"And I'm Brock," Brock introduced himself with a warm smile.

Looker nodded and then glanced at them all once again. "As I said, don't concern yourself with this. The Police are competent and they can handle it. You've got a while before you can start dealing with these scoundrels."

Ash couldn't quite figure out exactly what, but there seemed to be something trustworthy about Looker. The way he'd assured them just now made him believe his words. That Team Rocket would be taken care of sooner rather than later.

"Anyways," Looker turned around and gave them one last glance. "I'll be needed elsewhere now that this has settled down. Good luck on your journey."

Ash waved at Looker, who soon disappeared into the crowd and out of his view. The crowd had remained still after the police had appeared, and a quick glance told Ash that it wouldn't take too long for the mess to be cleared. Then he realized something; how did Looker know that they were all traveling? Yes, he could probably tell that they were trainers but not all trainers traveled the entire region. Some preferred training at different places such as specialized Gyms or training facilities, or trained locally to keep up with other responsibilities. Maybe Looker had overheard their previous conversation? But, he hadn't been there for long. At least, Ash hadn't noticed him. He let the thoughts go, though. After everything else that had just happened, it wasn't worth thinking too much about.

---

This chapter was nearly ready for more than 3 weeks now, but I had a lot to think about before making the changes that I mentioned earlier. I didn't want to make any hasty changes and regret them later. This is also probably the chapter that I've worked on most. Because it was just lying there for weeks, I went back to it and made some changes that I felt were necessary, and also worked on it with my beta reader. Huge shout out to them.

Tell me your thoughts on the chapter as well as the changes in the reviews. What do you guys think of the names, and Kabuto (hopefully, you'd have read its capture scene).

The last 2 chapters have been longer than what I usually write (around 15-16k words), and I'm planning on continuing this length for the upcoming chapters. For now, I'm planning to have an update schedule of once every two weeks, but that can change to once a month. But as long as I'm happy with the quality and length of the chapter, I don't think that matters as much.

That's all. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!