Chapter 27
"And that's why we need to move to different room," Setijin explained to the porter,
Winona and Lucia waiting anxiously behind him, the group stood out in the corridor. The
porter rubbed his chin before responding.
"Well I'll see what I can do, but I'm not promising anything." He shook hands with
Setijin before walking off and away from them, Setijin turned back to the girls, sighting
with relief.
"I was surprised that they let us off so lightly," Winona considered. "Y'know, we did
wreck one of their rooms."
"I'm sure they get this all of the time," Setijin replied, before pondering. "On the other
hand, this could be a first. He twisted himself around; to examine the pokéball taped shut,
holstered in his belt. He shook his head disappointedly, before adding: "It's the only way
he'll learn."
The group wandered out onto the deck, basking in the almost tropical glow of the air. The
sea clapped as usual, clouds few and far between, the sun almost chirping with delight.
Small flocks of Wingull swept through the sky, random fish pokémon leaping out from
the waters around the ship.
"This is just gorgeous!" squealed Winona. "I think I'm going to get changed and spend
some time in the pool," she continued, pointing over to the large, rectangle tray of water
further down the ferry. The figures of people and pokémon could be made out off in the
distance, Setijin and Lucia discussing the suggestion.
"Yeah, what the heck, we may as well all go," Setijin replied, slipping the backpack from
his shoulders. "At least the room getting destroyed means we don't have to walk back for
our swimwear." He dropped the bag to the floor, opening it out fully, leaving Lucia and
Winona space to grab their things. Clasping them in their arms, both left for the line of
small changing cubicles, Setijin grabbing his things, slipping the rucksack back up, shorts
in hand, heading off towards the pool.
The meeting room of Ever Grande Cities pokémon league HQ was at full capacity;
hoards of elite trainers crowding around the table, Steven standing to take control of
proceedings. The crowds hushed as he began, hands resting on the table in front of him.
"Thank you for all being here today," he started, his voice calm, but stern. "Now, I'm not
going to beat around the bush: Team Rocket are beginning to get serious. We are
receiving more and more reports of disturbances involving them each and every day. So
far, we've had more pokémon thefts, jailbreaks and all manner of things. Although many
of their small campaigns are foiled with relative ease, it is, to say the least, unsettling to
know that they still have such a large following. It is impossible to tell whether these
outbreaks are related; part of a grand scheme so to speak, or if they are unrelated and
honestly random. They do seem petty, particularly badly planned an executed attacks, but
the possibility of this all being part of something bigger is inherently probable. We know
they have a self-proclaimed leader, but whether he is ordering these pockets of disorder
or not is still uncomfortably unknown." The crowd remained silent as Steven sat back
into his seat, Glacia of the Hoenn Elite Four rising to her feet.
"Now, so far, the worst affected area is Johto: Rocket influence hasn't massively spread
to Hoenn, but they still seem to be responsible for a lot of petty incidents being reported
around through the cities. We also still haven't received any word from Kanto: and we
still don't know why. It could be that Rockets have managed to somehow commandeer
control of the region, or that they are simply refusing to help. This is where you trainers
come in. Arc?" Glacia in turn, sat down as Steven did, Arc taking the 'floor'.
"The plan is this: I am personally taking groups of you over to Kanto to investigate the
situation there. We don't know what to expect, so that's why we are still undecided as to
how many of us are going. We need support here, but we also don't want to be left
helpless over in Kanto if the worst-case scenario is a reality. We don't know what to
expect there: you need to be ready for anything." He paused, before sitting back down.
"And that's about it. We leave this time next week, and simply come and see me if you
want to 'reserve' a place in the party," he finished, the crowds voices rising once again,
muffling each others comments. Arc, Steven, Glacia and Drake, whom was also at the
proceedings leant forward over the table to continue talking.
"So, do you think people are going to sign up for this?" Glacia asked. Arc and Steven
shrugged simultaneously.
"If they don't, we're still going to have to pick people. It is imperative that we get over
there and see what is going on!" Arc exclaimed dramatically, and abruptly.
"You do seem very desperate to get over there," Drake commented. "I know it's
important, but for something that's potentially as dangerous as this, you are acting
surprisingly eager." Arc looked back sheepishly.
"I guess it must be the adrenalin pumping," he returned. "Still, lets adjourn this
meeting…it's getting to noisy in here." The group nodded, all attempting to slide their
seats back and stand at the same time, the crowds behind them keeping them force
against the table.
"Perhaps we should just wait until they leave," commented Steven, his legs being crushed
in between the chair seat and the tables' edge.
Setijin made his out and around his changing cubicle, towel folded in his hand, and
pokéballs still attached to his belt, fitted around the top of his swimming shorts. He
brushed the fringe of his hair backwards. He continued across the deck, making his way
down a series of steps leading to a white tiled area, the center containing the pool. His
bare feet sloshed playfully in the warm puddles of water arranged on the floor, as he
slowed, scanning the area for his two partners.
The pool was filled with people, from children and their parents, to old couples lazing by
the side. Young trainers small water pokémon floated on the surface, occasionally diving
under, chasing their trainers, or avoiding other swimmers. The sun shimmered on the
constantly rippling surface,
Winona and Lucia lay in their swimsuits on a pair of reclined sun beds arranged next to
the pool. Other passengers wandered past them, dripping wet from the water, often
wrapped in towels, or carrying elaborate inflatable toys. Lucia sat up, nudging her
sunglasses down her nose to see Setijin waving towards her from the other side of the
swimming area. He wandered forwards, turning his head to stare out to sea. As he walked
closer, his ears pricked up as he heard erratic splashing: much different from the hiss of
the waves against the boat. He continued to listen intently, continuing towards the girls.
"Finally got here then," Lucia remarked, lying back down onto her sun bed.
"Better late than never," Setijin replied weakly, his concentration still on the splashing.
He dropped his towel at Lucia's feet, before walking over to the banister around the edge
of the ship. He peered over the edge, examining the waters, trying to follow the
splashing. Further up the deck, he spotted two water pokémon, tussling alongside the
ferry; a small Barboach, quite obviously lost, being hounded by a large Cloyster, bobbing
up and down on the water surface.
"Barboach? What is a Barboach doing out at sea?" Setijin asked himself, before running
up the deck to be right above them. He peered down again, watching as Cloyster heaved
its almighty pink shell out of the water, crashing back down on the lake dwelling
pokémon. Setijin reached for a pokéball from his belt, releasing Ninjask, ready for battle.
He ordered it down, the bug descending, hovering by Cloyster's side. The clam pokémon
lunged forward, Ninjask evading with ease, Cloyster crashing dramatically back into the
water. Ninjask continued to scan the water, looking for Barboach, as Cloyster charged
again. Ninjask banked around quickly, Cloyster ramming into the hull of the boat.
Disoriented, the clam submerged itself, dizzy from the recoil of the attack, while Ninjask
buzzed back to Setijin, pointing at the now unconscious Barboach, floating limply next to
the bug pokémon. Setijin hurled down a spare pokéball, Ninjask guiding it towards the
tiny pokémon, the ball clapping shut without resistance. Clasping it in between its fore
claws, Ninjask dragged the ball back up onto the ship, Setijin taking it gently.
"Excellent work!" he congratulated, returning the bug and running over to the pool,
releasing Barboach. He slid in after it, keeping it penned inside the ring formed with his
arms, stopping it from floating away. As he waited for the pokémon to awake, Winona
and Lucia strode over, crouching behind him at the side of the pool, examining his
newest team member.
"What happened?" Lucia asked first, Setijin half-turning his head to answer.
"I saw this guy getting attacked by a Cloyster," he explained.
"But what's a Barboach doing all the way out at sea? I thought they lived in rivers and
lakes," Winona inquired.
"I thought so to." As he finished, the pokémon squeaked as it awoke, squinting as it
looked up at Setijin. It wriggled upwards, breaking the surface of the pool, puffing its
thick blue lips at the moist sea air.
"He's quite cute!" Winona commented, Barboach familiarizing itself with the area
around it.
"Well, at least its ok," Setijin sighed. "Time to release you." As he stood up, reading his
pokéball, Winona held him down by pushing on his shoulder.
"Wait, you can't release him here! If you must release him, at least wait until we're in
Johto where we can put him back in his normal habitat." Setijin agreed, slumping back
down into the pool. He rested his arms in the water, swinging one forward to pet the
water pokémon.
"I guess you're right. It looks like you're mine for now little guy," he smiled, Barboach
watching in confusion, still overwhelmed by its new surroundings, jerkily twisting itself
around in the water.
Two rocket members stood side by side, their pokémon exhausted from battle, collapsing
to the ground in front of them as their two opponents cheered in victory.
"I don't get it!" cried the first rocket. "Why aren't our pokémon strong enough to take on
these puny trainers!" Their Arbok and Golbat lay flat out on the floor, panting heavily as
the trainers returned their pokémon and ran. As the rockets raised their pokéballs in
frustration, streams of light exploded from their pokémon. The white trails sparkled and
wrapped around each other in the air, whisking around and feeding back into the balls,
finishing with a spectacular flash of color. The light cleared, and rockets shot forward
towards their pokémon; now an Ekans and a Zubat.
"What happened?" asked the second rocket, examining his pokémon. The first whipped
out a mobile telephone, flipping it open and scrolling through a list of phone numbers. As
the call connected, the rocket held the phone to his ear.
"This is Field Rocket group 16 reporting…we have a problem," he calmly explained, the
pokémon gently coming to.
"And that's why we need to move to different room," Setijin explained to the porter,
Winona and Lucia waiting anxiously behind him, the group stood out in the corridor. The
porter rubbed his chin before responding.
"Well I'll see what I can do, but I'm not promising anything." He shook hands with
Setijin before walking off and away from them, Setijin turned back to the girls, sighting
with relief.
"I was surprised that they let us off so lightly," Winona considered. "Y'know, we did
wreck one of their rooms."
"I'm sure they get this all of the time," Setijin replied, before pondering. "On the other
hand, this could be a first. He twisted himself around; to examine the pokéball taped shut,
holstered in his belt. He shook his head disappointedly, before adding: "It's the only way
he'll learn."
The group wandered out onto the deck, basking in the almost tropical glow of the air. The
sea clapped as usual, clouds few and far between, the sun almost chirping with delight.
Small flocks of Wingull swept through the sky, random fish pokémon leaping out from
the waters around the ship.
"This is just gorgeous!" squealed Winona. "I think I'm going to get changed and spend
some time in the pool," she continued, pointing over to the large, rectangle tray of water
further down the ferry. The figures of people and pokémon could be made out off in the
distance, Setijin and Lucia discussing the suggestion.
"Yeah, what the heck, we may as well all go," Setijin replied, slipping the backpack from
his shoulders. "At least the room getting destroyed means we don't have to walk back for
our swimwear." He dropped the bag to the floor, opening it out fully, leaving Lucia and
Winona space to grab their things. Clasping them in their arms, both left for the line of
small changing cubicles, Setijin grabbing his things, slipping the rucksack back up, shorts
in hand, heading off towards the pool.
The meeting room of Ever Grande Cities pokémon league HQ was at full capacity;
hoards of elite trainers crowding around the table, Steven standing to take control of
proceedings. The crowds hushed as he began, hands resting on the table in front of him.
"Thank you for all being here today," he started, his voice calm, but stern. "Now, I'm not
going to beat around the bush: Team Rocket are beginning to get serious. We are
receiving more and more reports of disturbances involving them each and every day. So
far, we've had more pokémon thefts, jailbreaks and all manner of things. Although many
of their small campaigns are foiled with relative ease, it is, to say the least, unsettling to
know that they still have such a large following. It is impossible to tell whether these
outbreaks are related; part of a grand scheme so to speak, or if they are unrelated and
honestly random. They do seem petty, particularly badly planned an executed attacks, but
the possibility of this all being part of something bigger is inherently probable. We know
they have a self-proclaimed leader, but whether he is ordering these pockets of disorder
or not is still uncomfortably unknown." The crowd remained silent as Steven sat back
into his seat, Glacia of the Hoenn Elite Four rising to her feet.
"Now, so far, the worst affected area is Johto: Rocket influence hasn't massively spread
to Hoenn, but they still seem to be responsible for a lot of petty incidents being reported
around through the cities. We also still haven't received any word from Kanto: and we
still don't know why. It could be that Rockets have managed to somehow commandeer
control of the region, or that they are simply refusing to help. This is where you trainers
come in. Arc?" Glacia in turn, sat down as Steven did, Arc taking the 'floor'.
"The plan is this: I am personally taking groups of you over to Kanto to investigate the
situation there. We don't know what to expect, so that's why we are still undecided as to
how many of us are going. We need support here, but we also don't want to be left
helpless over in Kanto if the worst-case scenario is a reality. We don't know what to
expect there: you need to be ready for anything." He paused, before sitting back down.
"And that's about it. We leave this time next week, and simply come and see me if you
want to 'reserve' a place in the party," he finished, the crowds voices rising once again,
muffling each others comments. Arc, Steven, Glacia and Drake, whom was also at the
proceedings leant forward over the table to continue talking.
"So, do you think people are going to sign up for this?" Glacia asked. Arc and Steven
shrugged simultaneously.
"If they don't, we're still going to have to pick people. It is imperative that we get over
there and see what is going on!" Arc exclaimed dramatically, and abruptly.
"You do seem very desperate to get over there," Drake commented. "I know it's
important, but for something that's potentially as dangerous as this, you are acting
surprisingly eager." Arc looked back sheepishly.
"I guess it must be the adrenalin pumping," he returned. "Still, lets adjourn this
meeting…it's getting to noisy in here." The group nodded, all attempting to slide their
seats back and stand at the same time, the crowds behind them keeping them force
against the table.
"Perhaps we should just wait until they leave," commented Steven, his legs being crushed
in between the chair seat and the tables' edge.
Setijin made his out and around his changing cubicle, towel folded in his hand, and
pokéballs still attached to his belt, fitted around the top of his swimming shorts. He
brushed the fringe of his hair backwards. He continued across the deck, making his way
down a series of steps leading to a white tiled area, the center containing the pool. His
bare feet sloshed playfully in the warm puddles of water arranged on the floor, as he
slowed, scanning the area for his two partners.
The pool was filled with people, from children and their parents, to old couples lazing by
the side. Young trainers small water pokémon floated on the surface, occasionally diving
under, chasing their trainers, or avoiding other swimmers. The sun shimmered on the
constantly rippling surface,
Winona and Lucia lay in their swimsuits on a pair of reclined sun beds arranged next to
the pool. Other passengers wandered past them, dripping wet from the water, often
wrapped in towels, or carrying elaborate inflatable toys. Lucia sat up, nudging her
sunglasses down her nose to see Setijin waving towards her from the other side of the
swimming area. He wandered forwards, turning his head to stare out to sea. As he walked
closer, his ears pricked up as he heard erratic splashing: much different from the hiss of
the waves against the boat. He continued to listen intently, continuing towards the girls.
"Finally got here then," Lucia remarked, lying back down onto her sun bed.
"Better late than never," Setijin replied weakly, his concentration still on the splashing.
He dropped his towel at Lucia's feet, before walking over to the banister around the edge
of the ship. He peered over the edge, examining the waters, trying to follow the
splashing. Further up the deck, he spotted two water pokémon, tussling alongside the
ferry; a small Barboach, quite obviously lost, being hounded by a large Cloyster, bobbing
up and down on the water surface.
"Barboach? What is a Barboach doing out at sea?" Setijin asked himself, before running
up the deck to be right above them. He peered down again, watching as Cloyster heaved
its almighty pink shell out of the water, crashing back down on the lake dwelling
pokémon. Setijin reached for a pokéball from his belt, releasing Ninjask, ready for battle.
He ordered it down, the bug descending, hovering by Cloyster's side. The clam pokémon
lunged forward, Ninjask evading with ease, Cloyster crashing dramatically back into the
water. Ninjask continued to scan the water, looking for Barboach, as Cloyster charged
again. Ninjask banked around quickly, Cloyster ramming into the hull of the boat.
Disoriented, the clam submerged itself, dizzy from the recoil of the attack, while Ninjask
buzzed back to Setijin, pointing at the now unconscious Barboach, floating limply next to
the bug pokémon. Setijin hurled down a spare pokéball, Ninjask guiding it towards the
tiny pokémon, the ball clapping shut without resistance. Clasping it in between its fore
claws, Ninjask dragged the ball back up onto the ship, Setijin taking it gently.
"Excellent work!" he congratulated, returning the bug and running over to the pool,
releasing Barboach. He slid in after it, keeping it penned inside the ring formed with his
arms, stopping it from floating away. As he waited for the pokémon to awake, Winona
and Lucia strode over, crouching behind him at the side of the pool, examining his
newest team member.
"What happened?" Lucia asked first, Setijin half-turning his head to answer.
"I saw this guy getting attacked by a Cloyster," he explained.
"But what's a Barboach doing all the way out at sea? I thought they lived in rivers and
lakes," Winona inquired.
"I thought so to." As he finished, the pokémon squeaked as it awoke, squinting as it
looked up at Setijin. It wriggled upwards, breaking the surface of the pool, puffing its
thick blue lips at the moist sea air.
"He's quite cute!" Winona commented, Barboach familiarizing itself with the area
around it.
"Well, at least its ok," Setijin sighed. "Time to release you." As he stood up, reading his
pokéball, Winona held him down by pushing on his shoulder.
"Wait, you can't release him here! If you must release him, at least wait until we're in
Johto where we can put him back in his normal habitat." Setijin agreed, slumping back
down into the pool. He rested his arms in the water, swinging one forward to pet the
water pokémon.
"I guess you're right. It looks like you're mine for now little guy," he smiled, Barboach
watching in confusion, still overwhelmed by its new surroundings, jerkily twisting itself
around in the water.
Two rocket members stood side by side, their pokémon exhausted from battle, collapsing
to the ground in front of them as their two opponents cheered in victory.
"I don't get it!" cried the first rocket. "Why aren't our pokémon strong enough to take on
these puny trainers!" Their Arbok and Golbat lay flat out on the floor, panting heavily as
the trainers returned their pokémon and ran. As the rockets raised their pokéballs in
frustration, streams of light exploded from their pokémon. The white trails sparkled and
wrapped around each other in the air, whisking around and feeding back into the balls,
finishing with a spectacular flash of color. The light cleared, and rockets shot forward
towards their pokémon; now an Ekans and a Zubat.
"What happened?" asked the second rocket, examining his pokémon. The first whipped
out a mobile telephone, flipping it open and scrolling through a list of phone numbers. As
the call connected, the rocket held the phone to his ear.
"This is Field Rocket group 16 reporting…we have a problem," he calmly explained, the
pokémon gently coming to.