The mother raised an eyebrow at her son.
"...so you were stuck in a tree?" she questioned.
"Mm-hmm," responded Tracey. "...until they came along."
Waves beat the hull as the vessel sliced rapidly toward the distant island. At the wheel, the father turned and spoke to Louis.
"That's where you want to go?" he questioned, pointing at the island.
The boy nodded solemnly.
"You saved my son," continued the father, "...so we at least owe you this."
Ahead, Totodile stood at the front of the deck as if commanding the boat by herself, pointing occasionally toward the island.
A wave, slightly larger than the last set, smashed into the front of the boat, sending it a further five-feet higher, before dipping back to a level sea.
The sudden lurching interrupted Taki's words, and she stood holding her stomach.
"...e-excuse me," she said before dashing to the side of the boat.
Tracey giggled before approaching the seasick girl. She stared with a pale face, wide-eyed into the ocean.
"Hang on…" the boy said before returning to his mother. As he approached the cabin, Tracey called to Taki.
"Mom makes just the thing! I don't need it anymore!" he added, proudly.
"Mom?" the boy asked. "Taki is-"
-"seasick… I know. I'll make her that snack I used to make you to settle your gut."
A bowl of mixed liquids were quickly whipped to a thick, gloopy, viscous drink, and she poured the pale liquid into a blue glass bottle.
"Make sure she just-"
"-...sips it, I remember, Mom."
The boy dashed back to Taki and waved the bottle at her.
The girl looked up from her contemplating sickness.
"Here, drink this," said Tracey.
"T-thanks," replied Taki.
She snatched the bottle from the boy and tilted it vertically to her mouth.
"Wait!" exclaimed Tracey. "You've gotta just sip it!"
The girl removed the drink from her mouth before tilting the bottle at a more acceptable sipping angle.
The father gripped the ship's wheel tighter, as the sea roughened around the approaching island. Eventually, he turned to Louis and broke the silence.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You look a little glum."
Louis continued to stare off into the distance.
"Not...really," he responded.
The answer failed to convince Tracey's dad, who pressed further, sensing the boy's tension.
"Do you want to talk about it?" offered the father.
Seconds passed before Louis responded in a voice that betrayed his words.
"No."
A gust filled the sails once more. Soon, the destination loomed into their view. Several Mantine flapped gracefully alongside the vessel, almost flying underwater, before peeling away from the vessel as it approached the shallow waters of the island.
"This is as close as we'll get," said the father.
Louis marched to the front, attempting a better view. His jaw dropped. In front of him, anchored in the shallow waters, sat another boat. The vessel's sails filled in the winds, and a large red letter 'R' flashed at Louis' eyes. Urgency filled the boy, and a cold sweat formed on his arms.
"Taki!" he called. "We need to go!"
She took another sip. The bottle nearly completed, Taki placed it on the deck and started gathering her supplies as Totodile ran to her side. Instinctively, Tracey strapped his backpack on and was about to leave for the shores when a hand landed firmly on his shoulder.
"Whoa whoa," said the mother. "Where do you think you're going?"
Tracey spun on the spot.
"I need to help them," he pleaded.
"We just got you back," she said. "I don't want to lose you again,"
Tracey's father appeared at the group, as an idea formed in his mind.
"Whatever these three are up to, it's important," he explained to his wife.
"Something's eating at that Louis kid," he finished.
The father looked to Tracey.
"You can go, but you have to promise us you'll be safe,"
Tracey nodded ecstatically and clipped shut the final buckle on his backpack.
He looked up and noticed his parents whispering.
"It's ok," the father whispered to the mother's ears. "We're gonna follow them."
The group's feet splashed into the water and they struggled to keep up with Louis, who sprinted toward the Team Rocket vessel.
"Louis!" pleaded Taki. "Slow down!"
He couldn't hear her. His mild annoyance at spotting the vessel with the red 'R' turned to rage, consuming him.
In a minute, he was up and on the deck.
'Where are they?' he thought.
He searched above and below deck, looking for Team Rocket. Taki climbed on board, out of breath.
"Didn't you hear me?" she questioned. "I said slow down."
Louis still wasn't listening. Despite his efforts, the boy found no signs of Team Rocket anywhere.
"Nngh, they're not here," he growled.
Frustration built within Louis, eradicating rational thoughts. He momentarily thought about sinking the vessel, before Totodile interrupted.
"Hey, what's that?" it questioned, pointing toward the island.
"What's what?" replied Louis, squinting into the distance.
Deep in the island, between swaying trees, a man-made stone structure peeked back at them.
"This way," said Louis, jumping from the boat.
Taki turned to Tracey and sighed loudly.
"We better follow him," relinquished the girl.
Again, Tracey nodded, just happy to be with his friends.
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