Jason Creight awoke to the sight of sunlight pouring through the
sheer blinds over his room window.
He sat right up and moved across the bed to the pile of clothes waiting for him at the foot. He was ready and eager to get going this morning. He wasn't sure why, but he felt invigorated. Perhaps he'd been inspired by something.
It could have been something to do with the three Atlantis League badges hanging on the inside of his vest. One was a perfect circle, space- black in the center and gray around the rim; one was milky white with a small black center, made to resemble a map translation of a tornado; and one had a silver sheen and was triangular.
*Darth. Leslie. Trixie. Now it's on to Marie.*
Jason, Kelly, and Adam had long since left the Gargantuan and boarded the fourth ship in the series, the Epic. A shorter name than any of the others, yet no less grand. Indeed, if anything, it seemed to hold more secrets than any of the others... such as where the dance hall was.
A small frown passed over Jason's face as he considered that. Ever since his intense battling three weeks ago, Adam seemed to be giving Kelly distance, as he had when they'd first met. Jason had noticed almost immediately.
Something had happened that night. He knew it. He could see it in Kelly's face whenever he got into one of those intense battles, when she was at the peak of her boredom. He'd seen it that night, too, when she'd approached him and given him a kiss of love and passion.
But Jason wasn't going to pry. It wasn't his nature. It never had been.
As he donned his clothes, he thought about how... secluded... Adam was making himself. The guy's confidence seemed to be on the up and up, yet he was growing more and more distant as the days passed. Jason wondered if Adam would stay with him and Kelly on their journeys, or if they would go their separate ways after their tenure aboard the Atlantis League ships.
Jason settled himself into his wheelchair and rolled over to Kelly's bed. She was still asleep, but she was sleeping fitfully. He wondered whether he should wake her up, or if he should just let her have it. She wasn't having a nightmare, he knew; if she were, she wouldn't be able to move.
*Perhaps it's something residual,* Jason considered. He chose not to dwell on it.
He dwelled, instead, on what he and Leslie had discussed after their match.
***
"Why are you still a gym leader, if you want to pursue relationships?"
"I don't really have a choice in the matter." Leslie paced back and forth. Jason might have considered doing the same, were his legs able.
"When I first heard about the Atlantis League, I was eager to get aboard. I did all I could to save the money needed to buy passage. I battled my Pokemon night and day against other trainers, and I kept as much of the money as I could. I finally booked passage two years ago, and I got through the entire league. And guess what? In total, I had only three fainted Pokemon through the entire ordeal."
Jason shrugged. "Good for you. But I don't see the problem."
"The problem is that if you don't lose more than four of your Pokemon to fainting in the entire league, they'll trap you with their hidden rule."
"What hidden rule?"
"The one that states, 'Any Pokemon trainer who wins the Atlantis League trophy with less than five fainted Pokemon shall be subject to assimilation by the Atlantis Gym Corps.'"
Jason frowned. "You win the Atlantis League and they force you to become a gym leader?"
"Yes. And I'm living proof that the rule is not only there, but strictly enforced."
"How can they enforce such a rule? It's tyranny."
"It is, indeed. And it's a double-edged sword. The gym leaders who were incorporated into the Gym Corps don't wish the same fate borught upon other trainers. That's what brings on our determination to stop trainers where they stand."
"Is there any way out of it?"
"The most commonly practiced one is to beg a winner of the Atlantis League to take your place as a gym leader. If you're replaced by the winner, you're free from the Atlantis League and all obligations to it. You can take the trophy and go home."
Jason shook his head. "That's unacceptable. There's got to be another way."
"There is one. But I hesitate to mention it."
His frown grew deeper. "What?"
She sighed. "In your rulebook, it states that if you defeat the Atlantis League, not only will you receive the trophy, but any one wish you make will be granted by the Atlantis League champion. Usually, such wishes made are those by trainers who want nothing more than material possession. Those who are about to be taken in by the Corps are free to go if they ask for it, but they never see it coming. All they're worried about is their financial security. Money is never a problem with the Atlantis League, as long as the rule gets what it wants."
Another sigh escaped her lips. "The problem is that the rule is staring them right in the face and they don't see it. It's right below the rule that states, 'Any Pokemon trainer who wins the Atlantis League trophy with less than five fainted Pokemon shall be granted one wish by the Atlantis League Gym Corps.' You get your wish, they stab you in the back."
"And what if I were win the league under those conditions, then wish that the rules be changed?"
She shook her head. "I doubt that it would happen. I don't believe they would grant that wish."
"You said any one wish, didn't you?"
"Yes, except for that one."
"There's still a chance."
"A slim one. The Atlantis League has maintained its rigidity in its rules for a long time now. Even if you did make that wish, and they granted it, they wouldn't do it before making you a part of us."
Jason's frown grew still deeper. "What're you talking about?"
"It's already in motion. They're watching you."
"The Corps?"
Leslie nodded.
"Then let them watch."
"Jason, I know you're a tough trainer. I know you could defeat all of us without flinching, and certainly without losing as many as four Pokemon in your upcoming battles. That means I believe you can make that wish of yours, whatever it may be. I would encourage you to use it wisely if you ever want to see home again."
He smiled thinly. "The joke'll be on the league. I don't have a home."
Leslie wasn't deterred. "Take it seriously, Jason. If you don't, you'll get trapped the same way I was."
***
Jason had battled Trixie and lost one Pokemon to fainting, after losing Ampharos to Dugtrio's insanely fast and powerful Dig attack. He had two remaining to lose, after fighting Leslie and losing one.
If he lost five, he wouldn't get the wish.
*I have to take Marie out fast and hard. It's the only way I can survive.*
Unfortunately, as had been the case throughout the league, he had no idea what Pokemon to expect.
*Wing it, as always.*
His time with Marie, the new gym leader, was approaching quickly. He had only a couple of days to figure out what team he should put together.
*I'll nab that match.*
***
Jason wheeled himself to the massive doors that always demarcated the Pokemon gym of the ship, prepared for his match. He wore faded blue jeans and a dark blue T-shirt, outlining his considerable upper body musculature; sitting in a wheelchair full-time was the perfect way for Jason to build what muscles he could. He locked the brakes on his chair, then braced himself and gave the door on the left a powerful, one-handed shove.
The door swung wide open, revealing not the gym Jason was expecting, but a ledge jutting out five feet beyond the four walls that housed the area. At the narrow ends of the area were ledges of twice that length, and white boxes had been painted on those ledges.
*Trainer boxes,* Jason thought. *But then...*
He carefully approached the ledge, locked his brakes, and looked over the edge.
Thousands of gallons of water raged below.
Jason winced. *Not my strength.*
"Welcome to my gym, trainer."
Jason glanced up. On the other side of the pool sat a dark haired young woman wearing a light blue one-piece swimsuit, her toes swishing through the water. Around her waist was a black capture ball belt, loosely cinched and carrying four capture balls. Her body was glistening with water; she had obviously just surfaced.
"I've been expecting you," she continued. She glanced at a waterproof watch circling her left wrist. "I notice you're on time. That's good. The faster I can beat you, the faster I can get back to the limited list of fun things to do."
"You can get to your fun stuff after I claim the badge," Jason retorted. He'd heard it all and more; this was just another attempt to psych him out before the match. It had never worked before; he wasn't about to let it work now.
Marie raised an eyebrow at this remark, and she got to her feet. "If that's your attitude, then we may as well just get started. Assume your position."
Jason complied silently, approaching the box on his right. He once again locked his brakes, then waited for Marie.
She didn't waste time. She went for a random capture ball and lobbed it straight into the water.
Jason's brow shot up for a moment, but quickly went back down as he pulled out his first Pokemon, allowing it to solidify on the edge of his platform.
Her ball revealed a Quagsire. It stared up at him through the water.
His revealed Ampharos.
*Damn. Quagsire has a resistance to electricity. All I can do now is pray the water'll help me out.*
"Quagsire, Rock Throw!"
"Ampharos, Thunder!"
Ampharos tapped its considerable electric reservoir to fire a massive lightning bolt straight into the water. Quagsire took damage, but because of its resistance, it was far from gone.
Quagsire returned the favor by heaving boulders littering the bottom of the pool straight into the air. It used its powerful fins to swim up, breach the surface, and slap the boulders precisely to hit Ampharos in the midsection. Ampharos stumbled back, but regained its ground after a second.
"Another Thunder!"
"Quagsire, use Whirlpool!"
Jason shook his head. *Slip of concentration there. Rock attacks do double damage to Ampharos, not water.*
As another of Ampharos's lightning bolts scorched the water and the Pokemon within, Quagsire conjured the water to its command and swirled it around with its latent psychic abilities until the waters had risen above even Jason's elevated ankles. He remained firmly planted, but Ampharos, who the attack was targeted for, was not so lucky. It was swept off its feet and into the swirling water.
"Ampharos, Swift attack!"
Ampharos instanty responded by activating its head- and tail-mounted lights and sending forth dozens of glowing spikes into the water. Because Quagsire was at the center of the Whirlpool attack, it didn't matter what direction they were fired in, therefore giving Ampharos cause to relax somewhat.
Quagsire took the attack in its full ferocity, dozens of spikes hitting it on every point of its rounded body. It floated backward limply; it was about to go down.
"Ampharos, another Swift attack!"
Ampharos bounced out of the calming water, drenched, tired, but still willing and able. It used its Swift attack again, this time concentrating on hitting their target.
Quagsire didn't have a chance. It went down.
Marie snorted. "You're tough. If they'd been the same level, Quagsire would've crushed it."
"I thought you said you wanted to make it a quick battle," Jason replied. "I figured I might as well use one of my best."
Ampharos glanced back at Jason and gave him its version of an appreciative smile.
"Use your best and do your worst, I'll find a way to beat you," she responded, returning Quagsire. She tossed another capture ball. "Go, Corsola!"
*No type advantage for me this time, either, but at least there's no resistance on her part. Shame that it's partially Rock, but then again, Rock types do have a weakness I can exploit...* "Ampharos, Solarbeam!"
Marie's eyes grew wide. "Corsola, Take Down!"
As Ampharos began concentrating, forming a sphere of pure energy above its head-mounted light, Corsola powered through the water and bashed its upper spines against Ampharos.
*Uh-oh, looks like this is it...*
Ampharos hung on.
And then, the energy sphere hit critical mass.
Ampharos released a gargantuan beam of energy straight at Corsola.
Corsola had no way to evade the beam; it took the full force of it.
And it was a Grass-type attack.
When the beam had passed...
Corsola was still standing.
Jason wasn't deterred. "Ampharos, Swift, right now!"
"Corsola, Rock Throw!"
But before Corsola could execute its command, Ampharos was executing its own. A final blast of Swift spikes, and Corsola was down for the count.
Marie groaned. "Corsola, return!" She chose another ball. "Omastar, finish what the others started!"
But Jason wasn't going to allow that so easily. "Ampharos, return! Go, Venusaur!"
Marie's eyebrow rose again, but quickly descended. "Omastar, Crunch!"
"Venusaur, Vine Whip!"
Omastar bolted forward, shell-bound though it was, and latched on to one of Venusaur's legs. Venusaur quickly removed it with its numerous vines, first grabbing it and squeezing it with bone-crushing force, then tossing it back toward its trainer.
Omastar rolled around like a coin, and when it finally stopped, its eyes were spinning. It struggled to right itself, and soon enough, it achieved the goal.
But Jason wasn't planning on letting it stay that way. "Venusaur, Razor Leaf attack!"
Venusaur roared and let loose a deadly barrage of sharp-edged leaves from the plant on its back, intent on taking its target down before it could attack again. And with the Grass-type attacks, it looked likely to happen soon.
Jason squinted. Perhaps Marie had something in store for him, perhaps not. But he had to keep pressing the attack.
Marie didn't seem interested in allowing him such an opportunity. "Omastar, Rollout!"
Omastar pulled into its shell, used its minimal psychic abilities to pick itself up off the ground, and began to spin in place, until it was moving at a dizzying pace. Then it boiled across the gym and bored into Venusaur.
Venusaur took the hit as best it could, but it still suffered decent damage from the attack.
Jason shook his head. "Venusaur, Leech Seed!"
A pair of egg-sized seeds burst from Venusaur's plant, bolted across the gym, smacked into Omastar, burst into vines, and began sucking HP from it. The vines emanating from the seeds also latched onto Venusaur's front legs and transferred Omastar's vitality to Venusaur.
The attack was double-effective. It took Omastar down and left Venusaur with a considerable amount of power to contend with.
Marie returned Omastar. "Well, well, looks like Venusaur has been watered down. Perfect opportunity." She tossed her last capture ball. "Let's go, Lanturn!"
*Uh-oh.*
Lanturn gazed up at Venusaur through the water with beady eyes, its twin lamps burning bright.
"Lanturn, Thunder!"
Lanturn conjured a bolt of lightning that flowed from the water and straight into Venusaur. Venusaur reeled from the attack. Fortunately, it didn't have a weakness to electricity.
Jason thought for a moment, then made his decision. "Venusaur, Vine Whip!"
Venusaur again used its many vine whips to whack away at Lanturn. However, under the water, their attack power was lessened.
He knew that he needed to find a way to take Lanturn out before it took Venusaur, or any of his other Pokemon, to the brink of fainting. He had to try and take the water out of the equation.
Then he realized that he was carrying a Pokemon that could do that.
He grinned. "Venusaur, return! Go, Jynx!"
Jynx solidified, assessed the situation, and waited for instructions.
Marie shook her head. "Can't figure out a strategy? I've got one for you... give up! Lanturn, give it a Thunder attack!"
"Jynx, Ice Beam!"
Jynx was the faster Pokemon. As Lanturn was charging up, Jynx fired the Ice Beam.
The beam froze the water's surface.
Lanturn's attack became, for the most part, restricted to the water. Some of it still did hit Jynx, but only enough to raise its hair a little bit.
But Lanturn's attack became turned on itself.
And the Ice Beam's effect continued to go deeper.
Soon, Lanturn was encased in ice.
And it couldn't attack.
"Jynx, use Metronome!"
Jynx closed its eyes, and its index fingers wiggled back and forth. They began to glow an eerie blue.
And then, out of nowhere, a hail of boulders rained down on the gigantic block of ice in the pool. It shattered the ice into millions of pieces, and pelted what remained of Lanturn and its HP.
Lanturn was down.
For a moment, silence reigned in the gym, whereas only a few moments ago, the shattering ice had resounded thanks to the incredible acoustics of a metal-encased gym.
Marie frowned. "Lanturn, return." She glanced up at Jason. "You're pretty tough. For what it's worth, I'd like to see you go all the way."
Jason pulled out of the trainer's box after returning Jynx and made his way back toward the doors. Marie followed suit, pulling out a money bag containing both her wager money and the badge he was after. "I'd like to see me go all the way, too. And without five faints."
The expression on Marie's face became one of suspicion. "You've been reading the rule book in your spare time, haven't you?"
"You could say that," Jason replied. "But I need a second opinion on something."
Marie's eyebrow rose again. "Oh?"
"Do you believe that, with the wish I get, I could rescind the rule about unwitting trainers becoming part of the Gym Corps?"
"Ah. You saw that rule, did you? Glad you're taking it seriously." Marie chewed her lip a moment before responding. "Perhaps. The league does everything in its power to make the wish happen. I don't believe they have any rules on the wishmaking."
"Not that I've seen," Jason said.
"Then whoever gave you the first opinion is being overly pessimistic. Conceivably, you could do it." Her shoulders slumped. "I tell you, it'd cut down on the amount of depressed gym leaders we have around here."
Jason frowned. "Who was taken in?"
"You've met Leslie and Trixie already. They were taken in only in the past couple of years. Me, I was taken in a long time ago... I think it's been about six years now. But then again, I had rich parents who practically raised me in the water, so I find a sense of home aboard this ship. As for Darth... I have absolutely no idea where he came from. He was here before I was. Maybe he's one of the original crew. I don't know. I've never even seen his face. No one has."
She looked back up. "Sorry. You wanted my opinion. In my opinion, I think you could do it."
Jason nodded. "Thanks."
Marie handed him the credit bag. "Make it happen."
***
That evening, Jason and Kelly went to the aft dining hall and had a full supper. Adam didn't join them. Kelly seemed to know something about it, but she didn't seem willing to talk about it.
Jason could relate. And, as Kelly had chosen to do before, he remained steadfast in his determination not to pry into the matter. He and Kelly both picked spaghetti platters; Kelly took the free salad, while Jason had the free peanut butter pie slice.
Kelly shook her head. "You're never gonna be healthy that way, Jason."
"There comes a time when one prefers something that tastes good to one's future as a health guru," Jason responded, twisting his fork to gather several noodles. He speared a meatball after that, contorting the noodles among the fork's tines.
Kelly searched Jason's face. "Is there something going on? You seem preoccupied."
"I am," Jason admitted. "It turns out there's a bit of a hidden rule to the Atlantis League."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. If I make it through without having five fainted Pokemon, I get to make a wish. The league does everything it can to make the wish happen."
Kelly's brow shot up. "Cool."
"Yeah, but there's a problem. If I make it through without having five fainted Pokemon, I have to join the Atlantis League as a gym leader. And as a gym leader, I would have to stay aboard the ship I'm assigned to... permanently."
Kelly dropped her fork. It *ping*ed quietly on the table. "What?! That's crazy!"
"I know that. You know that. Even the gym leaders who were taken in by that rule know that. But most others don't. And I aim to keep it that way."
"How?"
"I'm going to try and make it through the Atlantis League without having five faints. If I can do that, I can get the wish, and I'll try to use that wish to rescind the rule that takes in trainers in their moment of victory."
Kelly paused for a moment. "Does Adam know about all this?"
Jason shook his head. "I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past him. He seems to know a bit more than he's letting on, I know that. Especially when we got to Trixie, that last one. He spent nights just sitting in his room, brooding. Sometimes when I went to see him, he'd just sort of give me the cold shoulder. I mean, he'd talk to me, but I could tell he didn't really want me around."
There was a pause in the conversation. Kelly took a deep breath. "Jason, I think there's something I should tell you. And I need you to promise me something."
A slight crease formed between Jason's eyebrows. "What?"
"That you'll hear me out."
"I always have. And I don't plan to stop now," Jason assured her. He reached across the table and took her hand. "What?"
And Kelly told him the story of what had happened between her and Adam last month.
As she spoke...
Jason Creight frowned on.
To Be Continued
He sat right up and moved across the bed to the pile of clothes waiting for him at the foot. He was ready and eager to get going this morning. He wasn't sure why, but he felt invigorated. Perhaps he'd been inspired by something.
It could have been something to do with the three Atlantis League badges hanging on the inside of his vest. One was a perfect circle, space- black in the center and gray around the rim; one was milky white with a small black center, made to resemble a map translation of a tornado; and one had a silver sheen and was triangular.
*Darth. Leslie. Trixie. Now it's on to Marie.*
Jason, Kelly, and Adam had long since left the Gargantuan and boarded the fourth ship in the series, the Epic. A shorter name than any of the others, yet no less grand. Indeed, if anything, it seemed to hold more secrets than any of the others... such as where the dance hall was.
A small frown passed over Jason's face as he considered that. Ever since his intense battling three weeks ago, Adam seemed to be giving Kelly distance, as he had when they'd first met. Jason had noticed almost immediately.
Something had happened that night. He knew it. He could see it in Kelly's face whenever he got into one of those intense battles, when she was at the peak of her boredom. He'd seen it that night, too, when she'd approached him and given him a kiss of love and passion.
But Jason wasn't going to pry. It wasn't his nature. It never had been.
As he donned his clothes, he thought about how... secluded... Adam was making himself. The guy's confidence seemed to be on the up and up, yet he was growing more and more distant as the days passed. Jason wondered if Adam would stay with him and Kelly on their journeys, or if they would go their separate ways after their tenure aboard the Atlantis League ships.
Jason settled himself into his wheelchair and rolled over to Kelly's bed. She was still asleep, but she was sleeping fitfully. He wondered whether he should wake her up, or if he should just let her have it. She wasn't having a nightmare, he knew; if she were, she wouldn't be able to move.
*Perhaps it's something residual,* Jason considered. He chose not to dwell on it.
He dwelled, instead, on what he and Leslie had discussed after their match.
***
"Why are you still a gym leader, if you want to pursue relationships?"
"I don't really have a choice in the matter." Leslie paced back and forth. Jason might have considered doing the same, were his legs able.
"When I first heard about the Atlantis League, I was eager to get aboard. I did all I could to save the money needed to buy passage. I battled my Pokemon night and day against other trainers, and I kept as much of the money as I could. I finally booked passage two years ago, and I got through the entire league. And guess what? In total, I had only three fainted Pokemon through the entire ordeal."
Jason shrugged. "Good for you. But I don't see the problem."
"The problem is that if you don't lose more than four of your Pokemon to fainting in the entire league, they'll trap you with their hidden rule."
"What hidden rule?"
"The one that states, 'Any Pokemon trainer who wins the Atlantis League trophy with less than five fainted Pokemon shall be subject to assimilation by the Atlantis Gym Corps.'"
Jason frowned. "You win the Atlantis League and they force you to become a gym leader?"
"Yes. And I'm living proof that the rule is not only there, but strictly enforced."
"How can they enforce such a rule? It's tyranny."
"It is, indeed. And it's a double-edged sword. The gym leaders who were incorporated into the Gym Corps don't wish the same fate borught upon other trainers. That's what brings on our determination to stop trainers where they stand."
"Is there any way out of it?"
"The most commonly practiced one is to beg a winner of the Atlantis League to take your place as a gym leader. If you're replaced by the winner, you're free from the Atlantis League and all obligations to it. You can take the trophy and go home."
Jason shook his head. "That's unacceptable. There's got to be another way."
"There is one. But I hesitate to mention it."
His frown grew deeper. "What?"
She sighed. "In your rulebook, it states that if you defeat the Atlantis League, not only will you receive the trophy, but any one wish you make will be granted by the Atlantis League champion. Usually, such wishes made are those by trainers who want nothing more than material possession. Those who are about to be taken in by the Corps are free to go if they ask for it, but they never see it coming. All they're worried about is their financial security. Money is never a problem with the Atlantis League, as long as the rule gets what it wants."
Another sigh escaped her lips. "The problem is that the rule is staring them right in the face and they don't see it. It's right below the rule that states, 'Any Pokemon trainer who wins the Atlantis League trophy with less than five fainted Pokemon shall be granted one wish by the Atlantis League Gym Corps.' You get your wish, they stab you in the back."
"And what if I were win the league under those conditions, then wish that the rules be changed?"
She shook her head. "I doubt that it would happen. I don't believe they would grant that wish."
"You said any one wish, didn't you?"
"Yes, except for that one."
"There's still a chance."
"A slim one. The Atlantis League has maintained its rigidity in its rules for a long time now. Even if you did make that wish, and they granted it, they wouldn't do it before making you a part of us."
Jason's frown grew still deeper. "What're you talking about?"
"It's already in motion. They're watching you."
"The Corps?"
Leslie nodded.
"Then let them watch."
"Jason, I know you're a tough trainer. I know you could defeat all of us without flinching, and certainly without losing as many as four Pokemon in your upcoming battles. That means I believe you can make that wish of yours, whatever it may be. I would encourage you to use it wisely if you ever want to see home again."
He smiled thinly. "The joke'll be on the league. I don't have a home."
Leslie wasn't deterred. "Take it seriously, Jason. If you don't, you'll get trapped the same way I was."
***
Jason had battled Trixie and lost one Pokemon to fainting, after losing Ampharos to Dugtrio's insanely fast and powerful Dig attack. He had two remaining to lose, after fighting Leslie and losing one.
If he lost five, he wouldn't get the wish.
*I have to take Marie out fast and hard. It's the only way I can survive.*
Unfortunately, as had been the case throughout the league, he had no idea what Pokemon to expect.
*Wing it, as always.*
His time with Marie, the new gym leader, was approaching quickly. He had only a couple of days to figure out what team he should put together.
*I'll nab that match.*
***
Jason wheeled himself to the massive doors that always demarcated the Pokemon gym of the ship, prepared for his match. He wore faded blue jeans and a dark blue T-shirt, outlining his considerable upper body musculature; sitting in a wheelchair full-time was the perfect way for Jason to build what muscles he could. He locked the brakes on his chair, then braced himself and gave the door on the left a powerful, one-handed shove.
The door swung wide open, revealing not the gym Jason was expecting, but a ledge jutting out five feet beyond the four walls that housed the area. At the narrow ends of the area were ledges of twice that length, and white boxes had been painted on those ledges.
*Trainer boxes,* Jason thought. *But then...*
He carefully approached the ledge, locked his brakes, and looked over the edge.
Thousands of gallons of water raged below.
Jason winced. *Not my strength.*
"Welcome to my gym, trainer."
Jason glanced up. On the other side of the pool sat a dark haired young woman wearing a light blue one-piece swimsuit, her toes swishing through the water. Around her waist was a black capture ball belt, loosely cinched and carrying four capture balls. Her body was glistening with water; she had obviously just surfaced.
"I've been expecting you," she continued. She glanced at a waterproof watch circling her left wrist. "I notice you're on time. That's good. The faster I can beat you, the faster I can get back to the limited list of fun things to do."
"You can get to your fun stuff after I claim the badge," Jason retorted. He'd heard it all and more; this was just another attempt to psych him out before the match. It had never worked before; he wasn't about to let it work now.
Marie raised an eyebrow at this remark, and she got to her feet. "If that's your attitude, then we may as well just get started. Assume your position."
Jason complied silently, approaching the box on his right. He once again locked his brakes, then waited for Marie.
She didn't waste time. She went for a random capture ball and lobbed it straight into the water.
Jason's brow shot up for a moment, but quickly went back down as he pulled out his first Pokemon, allowing it to solidify on the edge of his platform.
Her ball revealed a Quagsire. It stared up at him through the water.
His revealed Ampharos.
*Damn. Quagsire has a resistance to electricity. All I can do now is pray the water'll help me out.*
"Quagsire, Rock Throw!"
"Ampharos, Thunder!"
Ampharos tapped its considerable electric reservoir to fire a massive lightning bolt straight into the water. Quagsire took damage, but because of its resistance, it was far from gone.
Quagsire returned the favor by heaving boulders littering the bottom of the pool straight into the air. It used its powerful fins to swim up, breach the surface, and slap the boulders precisely to hit Ampharos in the midsection. Ampharos stumbled back, but regained its ground after a second.
"Another Thunder!"
"Quagsire, use Whirlpool!"
Jason shook his head. *Slip of concentration there. Rock attacks do double damage to Ampharos, not water.*
As another of Ampharos's lightning bolts scorched the water and the Pokemon within, Quagsire conjured the water to its command and swirled it around with its latent psychic abilities until the waters had risen above even Jason's elevated ankles. He remained firmly planted, but Ampharos, who the attack was targeted for, was not so lucky. It was swept off its feet and into the swirling water.
"Ampharos, Swift attack!"
Ampharos instanty responded by activating its head- and tail-mounted lights and sending forth dozens of glowing spikes into the water. Because Quagsire was at the center of the Whirlpool attack, it didn't matter what direction they were fired in, therefore giving Ampharos cause to relax somewhat.
Quagsire took the attack in its full ferocity, dozens of spikes hitting it on every point of its rounded body. It floated backward limply; it was about to go down.
"Ampharos, another Swift attack!"
Ampharos bounced out of the calming water, drenched, tired, but still willing and able. It used its Swift attack again, this time concentrating on hitting their target.
Quagsire didn't have a chance. It went down.
Marie snorted. "You're tough. If they'd been the same level, Quagsire would've crushed it."
"I thought you said you wanted to make it a quick battle," Jason replied. "I figured I might as well use one of my best."
Ampharos glanced back at Jason and gave him its version of an appreciative smile.
"Use your best and do your worst, I'll find a way to beat you," she responded, returning Quagsire. She tossed another capture ball. "Go, Corsola!"
*No type advantage for me this time, either, but at least there's no resistance on her part. Shame that it's partially Rock, but then again, Rock types do have a weakness I can exploit...* "Ampharos, Solarbeam!"
Marie's eyes grew wide. "Corsola, Take Down!"
As Ampharos began concentrating, forming a sphere of pure energy above its head-mounted light, Corsola powered through the water and bashed its upper spines against Ampharos.
*Uh-oh, looks like this is it...*
Ampharos hung on.
And then, the energy sphere hit critical mass.
Ampharos released a gargantuan beam of energy straight at Corsola.
Corsola had no way to evade the beam; it took the full force of it.
And it was a Grass-type attack.
When the beam had passed...
Corsola was still standing.
Jason wasn't deterred. "Ampharos, Swift, right now!"
"Corsola, Rock Throw!"
But before Corsola could execute its command, Ampharos was executing its own. A final blast of Swift spikes, and Corsola was down for the count.
Marie groaned. "Corsola, return!" She chose another ball. "Omastar, finish what the others started!"
But Jason wasn't going to allow that so easily. "Ampharos, return! Go, Venusaur!"
Marie's eyebrow rose again, but quickly descended. "Omastar, Crunch!"
"Venusaur, Vine Whip!"
Omastar bolted forward, shell-bound though it was, and latched on to one of Venusaur's legs. Venusaur quickly removed it with its numerous vines, first grabbing it and squeezing it with bone-crushing force, then tossing it back toward its trainer.
Omastar rolled around like a coin, and when it finally stopped, its eyes were spinning. It struggled to right itself, and soon enough, it achieved the goal.
But Jason wasn't planning on letting it stay that way. "Venusaur, Razor Leaf attack!"
Venusaur roared and let loose a deadly barrage of sharp-edged leaves from the plant on its back, intent on taking its target down before it could attack again. And with the Grass-type attacks, it looked likely to happen soon.
Jason squinted. Perhaps Marie had something in store for him, perhaps not. But he had to keep pressing the attack.
Marie didn't seem interested in allowing him such an opportunity. "Omastar, Rollout!"
Omastar pulled into its shell, used its minimal psychic abilities to pick itself up off the ground, and began to spin in place, until it was moving at a dizzying pace. Then it boiled across the gym and bored into Venusaur.
Venusaur took the hit as best it could, but it still suffered decent damage from the attack.
Jason shook his head. "Venusaur, Leech Seed!"
A pair of egg-sized seeds burst from Venusaur's plant, bolted across the gym, smacked into Omastar, burst into vines, and began sucking HP from it. The vines emanating from the seeds also latched onto Venusaur's front legs and transferred Omastar's vitality to Venusaur.
The attack was double-effective. It took Omastar down and left Venusaur with a considerable amount of power to contend with.
Marie returned Omastar. "Well, well, looks like Venusaur has been watered down. Perfect opportunity." She tossed her last capture ball. "Let's go, Lanturn!"
*Uh-oh.*
Lanturn gazed up at Venusaur through the water with beady eyes, its twin lamps burning bright.
"Lanturn, Thunder!"
Lanturn conjured a bolt of lightning that flowed from the water and straight into Venusaur. Venusaur reeled from the attack. Fortunately, it didn't have a weakness to electricity.
Jason thought for a moment, then made his decision. "Venusaur, Vine Whip!"
Venusaur again used its many vine whips to whack away at Lanturn. However, under the water, their attack power was lessened.
He knew that he needed to find a way to take Lanturn out before it took Venusaur, or any of his other Pokemon, to the brink of fainting. He had to try and take the water out of the equation.
Then he realized that he was carrying a Pokemon that could do that.
He grinned. "Venusaur, return! Go, Jynx!"
Jynx solidified, assessed the situation, and waited for instructions.
Marie shook her head. "Can't figure out a strategy? I've got one for you... give up! Lanturn, give it a Thunder attack!"
"Jynx, Ice Beam!"
Jynx was the faster Pokemon. As Lanturn was charging up, Jynx fired the Ice Beam.
The beam froze the water's surface.
Lanturn's attack became, for the most part, restricted to the water. Some of it still did hit Jynx, but only enough to raise its hair a little bit.
But Lanturn's attack became turned on itself.
And the Ice Beam's effect continued to go deeper.
Soon, Lanturn was encased in ice.
And it couldn't attack.
"Jynx, use Metronome!"
Jynx closed its eyes, and its index fingers wiggled back and forth. They began to glow an eerie blue.
And then, out of nowhere, a hail of boulders rained down on the gigantic block of ice in the pool. It shattered the ice into millions of pieces, and pelted what remained of Lanturn and its HP.
Lanturn was down.
For a moment, silence reigned in the gym, whereas only a few moments ago, the shattering ice had resounded thanks to the incredible acoustics of a metal-encased gym.
Marie frowned. "Lanturn, return." She glanced up at Jason. "You're pretty tough. For what it's worth, I'd like to see you go all the way."
Jason pulled out of the trainer's box after returning Jynx and made his way back toward the doors. Marie followed suit, pulling out a money bag containing both her wager money and the badge he was after. "I'd like to see me go all the way, too. And without five faints."
The expression on Marie's face became one of suspicion. "You've been reading the rule book in your spare time, haven't you?"
"You could say that," Jason replied. "But I need a second opinion on something."
Marie's eyebrow rose again. "Oh?"
"Do you believe that, with the wish I get, I could rescind the rule about unwitting trainers becoming part of the Gym Corps?"
"Ah. You saw that rule, did you? Glad you're taking it seriously." Marie chewed her lip a moment before responding. "Perhaps. The league does everything in its power to make the wish happen. I don't believe they have any rules on the wishmaking."
"Not that I've seen," Jason said.
"Then whoever gave you the first opinion is being overly pessimistic. Conceivably, you could do it." Her shoulders slumped. "I tell you, it'd cut down on the amount of depressed gym leaders we have around here."
Jason frowned. "Who was taken in?"
"You've met Leslie and Trixie already. They were taken in only in the past couple of years. Me, I was taken in a long time ago... I think it's been about six years now. But then again, I had rich parents who practically raised me in the water, so I find a sense of home aboard this ship. As for Darth... I have absolutely no idea where he came from. He was here before I was. Maybe he's one of the original crew. I don't know. I've never even seen his face. No one has."
She looked back up. "Sorry. You wanted my opinion. In my opinion, I think you could do it."
Jason nodded. "Thanks."
Marie handed him the credit bag. "Make it happen."
***
That evening, Jason and Kelly went to the aft dining hall and had a full supper. Adam didn't join them. Kelly seemed to know something about it, but she didn't seem willing to talk about it.
Jason could relate. And, as Kelly had chosen to do before, he remained steadfast in his determination not to pry into the matter. He and Kelly both picked spaghetti platters; Kelly took the free salad, while Jason had the free peanut butter pie slice.
Kelly shook her head. "You're never gonna be healthy that way, Jason."
"There comes a time when one prefers something that tastes good to one's future as a health guru," Jason responded, twisting his fork to gather several noodles. He speared a meatball after that, contorting the noodles among the fork's tines.
Kelly searched Jason's face. "Is there something going on? You seem preoccupied."
"I am," Jason admitted. "It turns out there's a bit of a hidden rule to the Atlantis League."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. If I make it through without having five fainted Pokemon, I get to make a wish. The league does everything it can to make the wish happen."
Kelly's brow shot up. "Cool."
"Yeah, but there's a problem. If I make it through without having five fainted Pokemon, I have to join the Atlantis League as a gym leader. And as a gym leader, I would have to stay aboard the ship I'm assigned to... permanently."
Kelly dropped her fork. It *ping*ed quietly on the table. "What?! That's crazy!"
"I know that. You know that. Even the gym leaders who were taken in by that rule know that. But most others don't. And I aim to keep it that way."
"How?"
"I'm going to try and make it through the Atlantis League without having five faints. If I can do that, I can get the wish, and I'll try to use that wish to rescind the rule that takes in trainers in their moment of victory."
Kelly paused for a moment. "Does Adam know about all this?"
Jason shook his head. "I don't know, but I wouldn't put it past him. He seems to know a bit more than he's letting on, I know that. Especially when we got to Trixie, that last one. He spent nights just sitting in his room, brooding. Sometimes when I went to see him, he'd just sort of give me the cold shoulder. I mean, he'd talk to me, but I could tell he didn't really want me around."
There was a pause in the conversation. Kelly took a deep breath. "Jason, I think there's something I should tell you. And I need you to promise me something."
A slight crease formed between Jason's eyebrows. "What?"
"That you'll hear me out."
"I always have. And I don't plan to stop now," Jason assured her. He reached across the table and took her hand. "What?"
And Kelly told him the story of what had happened between her and Adam last month.
As she spoke...
Jason Creight frowned on.
To Be Continued
