=Chapter 16, Victor's Missing Abra=
*Dear Arky, we've set sail for Slateport City a few days ago, the ferry arrived right on time and everyone leaving for Slateport boarded it. All I'm going to say is that Karen is not a happy camper on board this ferry. We didn't even travel for an hour before she was already puking her breakfast in the bathroom. Her team is supporting her as best they can, Shrew her Breloom, and Ziggles her Linoone are constantly helping her get to the bathroom whenever she feels another puking episode coming on as fast as they can.*
*As for me and my team, well we're taking advantage of the ferry's rules about battling and training while waiting to arrive in Slateport. We've been having some sparing matches with a few of the trainers on board. It's surprising how many non-trainers are on board this ferry, I was expecting more trainers to be moving on to Slateport, but I guess Max is tougher than some people think because only about a third of those who arrived with me and Karen to Dewford actually earned the badge and moved on to Slateport.*
*In any case, this ferry is much roomier than the one from Route 104 was, I didn't have to wait in line to use the kitchen to make meals for mine and Karen's team.*
*I know I said that my next destination was Mauvile City, but before I can get to Mauvile I have to go to Slateport.*
*The open sea is so peaceful Arky, I can't believe it's only been over two to three months since I left Littleroot and I've earned two badges with my team's help. It feels so strange looking out at the sea as the ferry goes at this slow and steady pace. It's so calming, so relaxing, to just watch the waves and occasional water Pokemon from the deck of this ferry.*
*I honestly wouldn't mind if this trip lasted a little longer!*
(Jacob's PoV)
"You take that back this instant!" Jacob yelled angrily, having had just about enough from the snobby sixteen year old, he and Karen were unfortunate to be bunking with, while on board.
While they were in Dewford Jacob had expected the ferry to be more accommodating for larger numbers of people. However now that he was on board the ferry, he discovered there was actually a limited space for sleeping because the other facilities of the ferry were larger. Each room had three to four people bunking together. Unfortunately he and Karen were bunking with a Pokemon Coordinator that was a Beauty and Cuteness Contest specialist. Her team included some very beautiful Pokemon, and her ribbon case showed she had been in the Grand Festival at least three times.
She had started things off by showing them her team, a Delcatty, a Meganium, a Ninetales, and even an Arcanine. Through his connection with Sara, he was able to learn just a little bit about Cynthia's team while they were bunking with her during the ferry ride. The Delcatty was almost an exact duplicate of her coordinator, in personality and views. The Meganium and Ninetales were much more respective, and later apologized for their owner's actions and words. The Arcanine however didn't seem to care one way or another about what his owner said or did, and merely said hello before going back into his ball.
Thanks to this showing it had become a new tradition for Jacob and Karen to show off their Pokemon to new trainers, or coordinators, which they would be spending a lot of time with, having picked it up from trainers on the other ferry and now this one. She had liked Jacob and Karen's teams for the most part, but as soon as Coral was revealed, she just couldn't hold herself back from saying how pathetic Coral was. This struck a nerve in Jacob, the first one to ever be struck because of just how many times he's had to hold himself back because of how trainers treat his Feebas.
He could handle a lot of things, and Arky had always taught him have a very positive outlook on life and everything around him. Because of Arky, he learned how to see past a Pokemon's looks to see the true Pokemon. He also learned how to raise and care for the Pokemon that many trainers would be frightened of.
However this coordinator, a young lady named Cynthia, was really trying his patience. He could not find any reason to treat this coordinator with any of the respect he was taught to always give. Not only did she think her Pokemon were superior to Jacob's, but she also would not stop talking about how badly he was raising his team.
"I will when you admit I'm right." Cynthia said calmly as she polished her nails.
"I won't admit it because it's not true!" Jacob shot back, wondering what he and Karen did to deserve this torture.
"More like you won't because you're afraid it is true." Cynthia said, smiling as she did. "You have a Grovyle, a Beautifly and a Kirlia for evolved Pokemon on your team, and a Poochyena and a Taillow who are unevolved. I can understand you spending individual time with them but the way you are raising them is absolutely pathetic. All you do is have them do menial tasks like running and jumping or timing, that isn't going to make them stronger, only by battling stronger and stronger opponents will they reach their potential. If you are a trainer you should know this rule, it's why all trainers try and battle new opponents every day."
"And how would you know how to train Pokemon for battles, you're a coordinator, not a trainer!" Jacob said angrily.
"It's because I am a coordinator, is how I know about how to train Pokemon for battles. I have to train my team for battles as well as contests, contrary to what you may think. I've been in the Grand Festival at least three times, and I've battled trainers that are five times more skilled than you are. Also, none of them have a Feebas because it's weak and pathetic. Why else would it be named Feebas, its name is based off the word 'feeble'."
Cynthia got off her bunk and left, saying that she was going to go see her friends who were also taking the ferry ride to Slateport.
Once she was gone, Jacob sighed in frustration and collapsed onto his own bunk. "She's gone now Sara." After a few seconds Sara climbed up onto the bed and curled up next to him, having spent the entire time hidden from view by hiding under the bed.
(Sorry for hiding Jacob.) She told him apologetically. (It's just that when you get angry, it makes me afraid.)
"It's not your fault Sara, you can't help yourself." Jacob sighed, rubbing her head gently to calm her down and sooth her shivers. "You can't help it, when I'm happy you're happy, and when I'm angry you get afraid."
Sara nodded as she calmed down again; this wasn't the first time she's hidden from sight because Jacob got angry on the ferry to Slateport. As Cynthia was the source of Jacob's frustration and growing desire to smash something, and because she was bunking with him and Karen, it wasn't going to change anytime soon.
"Listen Sara, I'm sorry for picking fights and stuff, but I won't take anything bad from anyone concerning you guys." Jacob said to his Kirlia. "I can take her making fun of me all she wants, but it's when she makes fun of you guys is where I draw the line."
(She isn't making fun of us that much I know. She's making fun of Coral because she's a Feebas.) Sara said with a trace of frustration in her tone. (I don't think she likes me very much…)
"She's a coordinator who specializes in Beauty and Cuteness contests; you can't blame her for thinking the way she does." Jacob said. "It's like my teacher said, she has her own views about Pokemon. Just ignore her for now; we just have to deal with her until we arrive in Salteport."
(How long is that?)
"A few more days, four or five at least." He replied with a sigh.
(Would you lend me a pillow tomorrow, I have a feeling I'll be sleeping under your bunk for a while?)
Jacob chuckled as he sat up and patted Sara's head, just as the door to their room opened up and in walked a very sluggish and groggy Karen. "I hope this ferry sinks after we disembark." She groaned as she wiped her mouth with a napkin.
"So what was it this time?" Jacob asked.
Since Karen always became enormously seasick on the ferry rides, it had become a game for Jacob and his team to guess about what would come out of her stomach. The bet was whether the subject was solid, or liquid related, and if either Jacob or his team guessed right, he would make whatever one side wanted. He had bet it was going to be a drink this time, while his team was betting it was liquid.
"Carrots… why is it always carrots… I don't even eat carrots!" Karen moaned as she pulled herself onto the bunk above Jacob. "So what happened while I was in the toilet, did you get into another fight with Cynthia?"
"Yep." Jacob said as he tried not to laugh at Karen's misery.
"Oh well, can you please go and get me something for my stomach?" She asked, having used up all of Jacob's stomach ache medicine during the last ferry ride as well as this one.
"Alright, be back in a few minutes." Jacob said, getting up with Sara following behind him.
He left the room and turned down the small corridor, walked for several feet before he came to a small staircase which led to the upper levels where the kitchen and infirmary were located on the ferry.
It also happened to be the main deck of the ferry where most of the trainers and non-trainers were spending their time on board the ferry. After a short visit to the infirmary, as well as one small bottle of medicine to help Karen with her sea sickness, and he and Sara made their way back to their room.
"I'm back with your medicine!" Jacob said as he entered the room with the medicine held up.
One second later, a blur ran past him, leaving his hand empty.
"And the new world record for fastest trip to the bathroom has just been set!" Jacob said with a laugh as he walked over to his bunk and lay down.
A few minutes later the door opened, and the second person he and Karen were sharing a room with entered. Victor was wearing his traveling clothes and carrying his Contest clothes folded up in his arms. He too was a Pokemon Coordinator, like Cynthia, but unlike their more experienced coordinator roommate, he was just starting out in the minor league contests.
"Is she okay?" Victor asked as he put his clothes neatly on his bunk.
"Yea she'll be fine." Jacob said as Sara pulled some berries out from his bag to eat them. "She just gets sick easily from being out at sea. The medicine will help her out, at least a little. When we reach Slateport she'll feel much better."
"I hope so, I feel sorry for her, getting sick when it's so nice outside." Victor said with a worried look on his face.
"So what are you planning on doing today, I was planning on spending some time on deck helping my team practice their attacks for our next gym." Jacob asked.
"Well I would let my team out and about to stretch, but I need to find my Abra, Ten!" Victor said worriedly. "He's gone and teleported somewhere on the boat again!"
Ten was one of Victor's Pokemon that Jacob and Karen had met when he joined them in the room, just after Cynthia became their worst nightmare. In contrast to Cynthia who thought she was superior to everyone beneath her, Victor was very respectful, kind, and friendly towards everyone around him. His team consisted of Ten his Abra, Geo his Geodude, Zuzu his Zubat, Coal his Tentacool, Yoran his Aron, and finally Kelly his Skitty.
He had named the Abra, Ten, based on how many days it took Victor to notice it fallowing him, teleporting just out of sight every time he caught a glimpse of it. In fact he was Victor's second Pokemon, followed by Kelly his Skitty. Ten had been following Victor for reasons that the Abra simply refused, couldn't, or wouldn't tell. When he did finally notice the Pokemon following him, he had offered the Abra if he wanted to join him in his dream of becoming a Pokemon Coordinator. It went without saying that he accepted the invitation.
"I don't know where he keeps teleporting to." Victor said. "I need to find him to make sure he's safe, you know he's a wild Pokemon still. Someone might get the idea and try to capture him."
"I know how you feel." Jacob said, glancing at Sara who was busy eating a Sitrus Berry. "Would you like some help looking for him?"
"Any help would be appreciated." Victor said as he got up to leave.
"Sara, would you like to come help look?" Jacob asked.
(No thank you, I think I'll stay here in case Karen comes back looking for you.) Sara said with a smile.
"Alright, be safe Sara!" Jacob said, getting up with Victor and leaving the room.
(Sara's PoV)
Sara watched as Jacob left the room with Victor to search the ferry for Ten, before sensing the shift in dimensions open up for just a brief moment, and then Ten appeared in the room having just teleported in. He had his eyes closed and was sitting as though meditating, but Sara wasn't letting that fool her. The Abra was wide awake, at least for the moment. The Abra spent most days asleep, a minimum of at least eighteen hours a day.
"You know our trainers just left looking for you." Sara said as she finished her berry.
"Yes I know, I felt them leaving." He said calmly.
"Why do you do that, you're making your trainer worry about you!" Sara proclaimed, still not sure why the Abra was so persistent with wanting to make his trainer worry about him.
"You can answer that question better than me, why did you let your trainer go off without you?" Abra responded. "Doesn't he need you to translate for him?"
"He can last a few minutes without me." Sara said, though she was worried about him without her to help translate. "Besides, I'd know if he was in trouble. So why are you making Victor worried about you?"
Abra didn't move as he responded, still looking like he was fast asleep. "I'm just helping others realize what kind of a human he is, as well as himself, that's all."
Sara shook her head in confusion before reaching into Jacob's bag to pull out another berry. "How does making him worry about where you are, help other trainers see what kind of a human he is?" Sara asked as she found the berry bag again, digging out yet another Sitrus Berries.
Abra was silent for several minutes before a loud snore sounded in the room. Sara glanced over at him, sighed in amusement before finishing her berry and going to the door to open it with her powers. Once outside she felt Jacob's presence just upstairs, as well as Karen's wobbling and working its way toward the room from the bathroom.
Deciding to go and tell Jacob where Victor's Abra is now, as well as so she wouldn't be alone with a sick Karen and a sleeping Abra, she made her way toward the staircase so she could go up on deck. It took her a few minutes to find the staircase, not familiar with how humans built these floating islands, but eventually she found the staircase and went upstairs to go and search for her trainer.
Up on deck she felt really small, around her walking here and there were humans, some with Pokemon, some on their own, some with other humans and some alone, and all of them towered over her small two foot height. She didn't look around for her trainer, she knew where he was, and he wasn't up on the main deck where all these other humans were.
Sensing that he was near the rear of the ferry looking for Ten with Victor, she headed to the back of the ferry. Soon there weren't as many humans around her, at most only a few that wanted to be alone by themselves and didn't want anyone bothering them.
A few humans spotted her and watched her walking around, and from their emotions she felt mixed feelings directed at her. A few thought she was cute or cool looking, some thought she was a little weird, and a few others became wary of her.
They knew she was a psychic type Pokemon, and a few of them didn't trust being anywhere near her. One of those was Cynthia, who Sara knew had a deep fear and hate toward any psychic Pokemon, which was the real reason why she was especially cruel to her trainer. It wasn't because Coral was a Feebas; it was because he had Sara with him. Sara felt a little sad because of this, she figured that she was the whole reason this trip for Jacob being miserable.
Sure Cynthia was also mean to Victor, but she didn't care as much about him and Ten because the Abra spent most of his time asleep, so his presence wasn't as noticed as Sara's. However because Sara was always with Jacob and using her powers to sense for danger as well as his feelings, Cynthia had felt her presence in her mind at least once or twice. This was the cause for the Coordinator treating Jacob, and through him his team, poorly throughout the trip.
Just as Sara was reaching the rear of the ferry, Sara felt the thoughts of a greedy trainer that has been scaring her this entire trip. The moment she felt him, she instantly panicked and started running toward the rear of the ferry toward Victor.
"There you are." The male trainer said, turning around a corner and spotting her instantly.
*Not him again!* Sara thought as she made a dash for safety.
It was the same trainer that Jacob and his team encountered in the Petalburg Woods, the same one that tried to capture the weakened Suicune upon seeing her. When he learned that Sara was a 'wild' Kirlia, as well as powerful, he decided to try and capture her for himself to have on his team. He had tried twice before on this ferry to capture her, but each time he was foiled by Jacob keeping her safe. Now however she was vulnerable, being away from Jacob.
Sara ran to the back of the ferry toward where Victor was, sensing that Jacob was too far away to help but still sending him a cry for it.
Just as she reached the end she turned around and watched fearfully as the young boy get closer, Pokeball in hand. "I don't know why your trainer doesn't want to capture you, but it's his loss for not capturing you!" He said with a grin on his face.
Just as Sara was preparing to use her powers to protect herself from the Pokeball, Victor appeared and, seeing what was happening, jumped in front of Sara to protect her. "Hey leave that Kirlia alone!" He said to the boy. "She's not yours so just leave her be, she already has a trainer!"
"As if, I spoke to one of the official league trainers on this ferry, and they said any wild Pokemon can be captured!" He said. "That Kirlia's wild and I want it for my next Gym match!"
"Well you can't have her, she's not yours and she doesn't want you as a trainer." Victor said as nicely as he could while Sara hid behind his leg, feeling her trainer getting closer. "Why are you trying to get Pokemon that don't want to go with you?"
"It's none of your business, I just want to make sure I win the Pokemon League Championship and I need strong Pokemon to do that!" The kid said angrily. "Look just get out of the way alright, she's not yours either so why are you bothering me?"
"Because he's protecting Sara for me." Jacob's voice said as he came around the corner, drawing the attention of both trainer and Coordinator.
After Jacob arrived the kid complained some more, but eventually saw that he wasn't going to capture Sara as long as he was there, and finally left. When he left Sara instantly jumped into the safety and comfort of her trainer's arms, having dodged yet another attempt at being captured and taken away from Jacob.
(Jacob's PoV)
"Sara why did you leave the room, I thought you were going to wait in the room?" Jacob asked as he comforted Sara.
(I just wanted to tell you that Ten teleported back to our room, sleeping.) Sara said sheepishly.
"You didn't have to come out to tell me that, but thank you nonetheless." Jacob said as he patted her head. "We know where Ten is Victor, he's asleep in our room."
Victor sighed in relief. "I guess he was just teleporting around in his sleep again." He said. "He tends to do that from time to time. Anyway I'm just glad that not only is Ten safe but also Sara is alright, I only just spotted her at the last moment."
"Yea, thanks also for helping Sara out." Jacob said. "This isn't the first time we've met that boy, he once tried to capture a badly injured Pokemon in Petalburg Woods. It was a really strong one that had been wounded and injured. He might have succeeded if we weren't there to stop him."
"He has to learn that just because you want to win, doesn't mean you can do whatever you want." Victor said, looking back at where the young trainer had been standing with a worried expression. "I can tell he wants to be the best there is, but he's just going about things the wrong way. I hope he learns to treat Pokemon a little better soon."
"I know he'll find his way." Jacob said with a smile. "Sooner or later, he'll see that he's wrong about many things. He'll learn that Pokemon are just like people."
Victor nodded in agreement, and a few moments later they made their way back to their room.
=Five Hours Later, The Ferry Captain's PoV=
The Captain looked out at the calm waters of route 108, knowing that they still had a few more days before they reached Slateport.
"How's the monitor looking Jeff?" The Captain asked, knowing that they were entering Tentacruel waters.
"All clear sir!" Jeff declared. "But the waters are deeper here than they are near Slateport and Dewford. They may be hiding deeper than the radar can detect."
The Captain nodded in understanding, this was always the risk with sailing these waters. They had to get past the Tentacruel waters before they would be safe. It was the most treacherous section of water between Dewford and Slateport, smaller ships had been able to go unnoticed back in the days, but with these larger ferries that was no longer an option. All they could do was hope the Tentacruel and Tentacools didn't detect them and attack them for intruding.
The Tentacruel's territory made up the remaining miles of Route 108 before they entered Route 109, and it was here that they always ran the greatest risk of being attacked by the water Pokemon. They had a few official Pokemon League trainers on board to keep the passengers safe, but even they couldn't hold off the whole Pod if it chose to attack together. Most of the pod was made up of Tentacool, but there were still a fair number of Tentacruels in the pod that could seriously threaten the ferry and its passengers if they chose to attack.
"I know we've made this trip several times successfully, but I'm still a worried wreck every time we enter these waters captain." His deckhand Yorik said.
"It will take us at least all night to sail through before we'll be safe." The Captain said calmly with a nod of agreement. "I'll go and start the coffee pot again; I have a feeling we're going to be up all night. Jeff you keep an eye on the radar, Yorik you take the wheel and keep us going straight."
The Captain went into the rec room where he and the others working on the ferry spent their off time to get the coffee pot ready. As he worked on the coffee he felt his lifelong friend and fellow sea lover, Elizabeth, rub his leg affectionately before jumping up onto the table.
Elizabeth was an older Vaporeon, her once azure blue skin had turned light blue with age, and her notable white ruff around her neck had turned slightly grey. Her ear fins still looked as they did in her glory days, but even they had a few telltale wrinkles in them.
"Vapor?" She asked, looking at the clock and then back at him.
"I know its late girl, but we're in Tenta waters right now, I can't risk being asleep if something happens here!" He said with a smile as he warmed up the pot.
"Vaporeon…" Elizabeth said, nodding in understanding.
The captain smiled at her as he scratched behind her ear fins. There was once a time when she would have welcomed a Tentacruel attack, she loved battling in her youth, and nothing made her more proud than defending him from attack. Now however, at their age, she would rather spend her days relaxing in his lap while he sipped his coffee and catching up on the latest news on his outdated Pokenav.
Once pot of coffee later he went back to the wheelhouse with Elizabeth at his side, wanting to be of help however she could, even if it was just to add a feminine look to the mostly male wheelhouse. Once in the wheelhouse she looked around before hopping up and looking out at the waters with him.
"Any news?" The Captain asked as he put the pot on the table, before pouring three cups for them all.
"Nothing yet sir!" Jeff said.
"Still smooth sailing captain!" Yorik said.
"Good, let's hope it stays that way." He said, watching the radar over Jeff.
"Elizabeth I don't need another bath!" Yorik said with a laugh.
The Captain looked up to see his Vaporeon cleaning the side of York's face with a wet towel that she had splashed with her water gun. "She's just trying to make sure you look your best Yorik!" The captain said with a smile. "You're still young so you need to look your best for that pretty girl you know in Slateport! Spending time with us old dogs at sea will make you look all ugly! Not to mention make you forget to shave!"
"Vaporeon!" Elizabeth said with a shake of her head at him, telling him that she didn't think he was ugly.
Twenty five minutes later, just as the Captain was going to refill his coffee cup, a loud beeping resounded in the mostly quiet wheelhouse. Then more beeping, and even more beeping sounded.
The Captain rushed over to the radar alongside Yorik and Elizabeth to see several red dots surrounding the green boat that represented them. "Captain, I'm seeing twenty or thirty Tentas rapidly rising and surrounding us!" Jeff shouted as Yorik went back to his station, Tentas being a term they used to count both Tentacool and Tentacruel.
"How many of them are Tentacruel?" The Captain demanded.
"I think about five to seven!" Jeff shouted as he started flipping switches to get more accurate readings. "No wait… I've got more approaching, estimated count at eight or nine Tentacruel with thirty to thirty five Tentacools! At this rate they'll be on us in seven or eight minutes!"
"How much further till we reach the edge of their territory?" The Captain shouted as he took over the wheel while Yorik checked the map.
"We've still got about nine hours of sailing left before we reach the edge of their territory!" Yorik shouted as he did some quick calculations. "If we go full speed it would still take us seven hours captain!"
"Get down to the engine room Yorik, full speed ahead; tax that engine if you must!" He shouted.
Yorik ran out of the wheelhouse as he pulled out a radio to the passengers and trainers down below. "Attention all hands, attention all passengers, this is the Captain speaking." He said as calmly as he could. "A pod of Tentacools and Tentacruels is rapidly approaching the ferry. All official league trainers get on deck and prepare to repel Tentacruel attacks, all other non-trainers and non-official league trainers remain in your rooms and remain as calm as possible!"
As he put the radio down he watched as a few trainers ran out onto the deck, calling out their Pokemon to prepare for the attack. "Vapor?" Elizabeth asked nervously as they felt the engine shift into overdrive in a vain attempt to get away. "Vapreon por poreon?"
"I know girl, but you wouldn't be of any help to them." The captain said sadly, knowing his friend was asking if she should be helping. "Forgive me for saying this, because I know you've still got some fight left in you, but you'll just be in their way. Just sit tight for now and let the young ones do what we did back in our day. We have our job, and that's keeping this boat heading to Slateport, the longer we take, the more danger we're in."
"Poreon…" Elizabeth said sadly, watching as the trainers on deck took positions and wishing that she and her friend were just a few years younger so they could help them.