=Chapter 17, Battle Aboard the Ferry!=

(Official League Trainer Kelly's PoV)

"Paul you and Seviper take the starboard section with Nelson and Starmie!" Kelly shouted as she took charge.

"Got it!" Paul called back as he and Nelson went with their Pokemon to the starboard section of the ferry.

"Maurine you and I are here on the aft section!" She shouted at Maurine this time. "Vivian you take the Port side with Tabatha! Everyone else pick a place that isn't covered and get ready, this pod can come at us from any side!"

"Roger!" Everyone said respectively as they started dispersing to their positions, each releasing a different Pokemon to help protect the ferry.

In total there were ten official League Trainers assigned to this ferry, they each had one Pokemon to protect against hostile Pokemon attacking the ferry and its passengers. Kelly's Pokemon was a Dustox, but there was also a Starmie, a Seviper, a Charmeleon, a Skarmory, a Raichu, a Pelipper, a Growlithe, a Beautifly, and an Electrike. It may seem weird to some as to why some trainers would use fire types and Pokemon not effective against pods of water types, but they had been serving on this ferry for nearly ten years, and all of them were experienced veterans of the seas. The Fire Types weren't afraid of the water as others would be, they were right at home here on the open sea just as they would be in a volcano.

As everyone got into position she pulled out her radio and called in the wheelhouse. "This is Kelly, we're all set!" She said as her Dustox floated just above her. "How big of a pod are we looking at?"

*By the looks of it, we got about ten or eleven Tentacruel now heading up towards us!* The Captain said over the radio. *There's another thirty or so Tentacools coming up for the ride!*

"That's a big pod; I don't think we can handle a pod that size with just what we have!" Kelly said as the knowledge of how 'Tentas' many they would have to fight sank in. "Against a pod this size I doubt we'll be able to hold them off, let alone beat them back. We might need some help from the trainers on board!"

Before the wheelhouse could respond the whole ferry suddenly lurched to the side, causing all of the trainers and Pokemon that weren't in the air to fall onto the deck. Kelly quickly stood up and saw the first group of Tentacruel and Tentacools starting to try and climb onto ferry. "Dustox use Gust!" Kelly shouted.

"Dustooooox!" Dustox declared as it flapped its wings rapidly to send a blast of wind into the first Tentacool, knocking it back into the water.

All around the ferry Pokemon were battling Pokemon, defending or attacking the ferry. As Kelly's Dustox knocked back yet another Tentacool, another took its place while a Tentacruel slowly started to climb on board. She realized that they were heavily outnumbered, and the Tentacruel were just getting involved in the fight. "We need backup, wake those trainers up and get them out here!" Kelly shouted to her radio as her Dustox took a Water Gun, but managed to stay in the air.

(Jacob's PoV)

"Attention all hands, attention all passengers, this is the Captain speaking." A voice declared over the ferry's intercom, waking Jacob and Sara from their sleep. "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 Jacob forced himself to full alertness, he heard the sounds of hurried footsteps outside his, Karen's, Cynthia's, and Victor's room. "Who called in the navy?" Karen moaned as she woke up as well.

"What's going on?" Victor asked as Jacob helped Sara wake up.

"Something about a Tentacruel attack?" Jacob replied, remembering what the voice over the intercom had said. "Why are Tentacruel's attacking us?"

"I dunno, just go back to sleep…" Cynthia moaned angrily, turning over in her bunk. "Just let the officials handle it…"

Jacob was about to talk back when the ferry suddenly rocked and knocked all of them out of their bunks. "What was that?" Karen shouted as all four of them untangled themselves out of the ball of bodies they had been forced into.

As they finally became untangled they heard the sounds of fighting up on deck. Then about one minute later the intercom went live yet again. "Attention all trainers, this is the captain speaking! We have an emergency situation on deck; any trainers with capable Pokemon please assist the Official League Trainers on deck in repelling the Tentacruel and Tentacool! I repeat, any trainers with capable Pokemon please assist on deck at once!"

Silence for a second before Karen grabbed her belt with her team, face set and smile present. "You heard him Jacob, all hands on deck!" She said eagerly.

"Got it!" Jacob said, grabbing his team's belt as well. "Coming you two?"

"My team is full of fire types; they wouldn't stand a chance against those water types!" Cynthia said with a nod of her head. "But I do have Meganium, she'll teach those rude Jellyfish Pokemon a lesson that they'll never forget!"

"I've only got a few who can fight water types and they aren't very experienced in battles, but I'll go and see what my team can do!" Victor said with a nod.

"Ready Sara?" Jacob asked as Karen swung the door open and made her way out of the room, with Cynthia and Victor following behind.

Sara smiled confidently as she gave him a sharp nod. (I'm right behind you!)

They left the room and, along with several other trainers that were heading to the staircase, made their way up onto the main deck.

It was pandemonium up on deck, Tentacool were everywhere attacking trainers and their Pokemon in groups of twos and threes, climbing here and there and there were still more climbing onto the ferry. All along the sides of the ferry Jacob could see a few Tentacruel battling some of the official league trainer's Pokemon, and they were holding their own against the veteran trainers. While the Tentacruels were busy with the League Trainers, the Tentacool were busy splitting up and trying to tear the deck apart, failing miserably as they used their tentacles to try and pry the deck's metal apart. Still though, a few had wormed some pieces apart, damaging the deck.

*If they keep tearing the deck apart we won't have a ferry left to sail on!* A voice called out over the deck's intercom from the wheelhouse.

"Come on Jacob, let's get in there!" Karen shouted as the new trainers started releasing their Pokemon out to help the League Trainers. "Ziggles, Laura, Nora, Shrew, rise to the challenge!"

"Harold, Ivan, Roran, Kora, you're all up!" Jacob called out as he too released his team to help.

As one both teams were released on deck, and Sara used her psychic powers to convey to them what was going on so they were up to speed about why there were so many Tentacools. "Alright Team Karen, show those Tentacool what your made of!" Karen shouted. "Give them a taste of your Tackle and Headbutts!"

"Team Jacob, give them some Wing Attack, Confusion, Gust and Tackle!" Jacob called out.

Both teams responded with their battle cries before charging into the Tentacool pod. Harold and Ivan knocked their targets down before being Constricted by their tentacles. Roran helped them out by flying by with his Wing Attack while Kora used her Gust to knock them around. Sara lent a helping hand by using her Confusion to confuse one of their opponents into attacking his fellow. Laura and Nora worked together to knock one of the Tentacool off the deck and back into the water with a combined Tackle attack, while Shrew and Ziggles literally knocked one Tentacool out completely before Sara used her powers to push it over the edge and back into the water.

All along the deck Pokemon battles raged between trainers and Tentacool. Cynthia and her Meganium had three Tentacool swirling around in the air with its Vine Whips, while Victor had Zuzu his Zubat using its Confuse Ray to try and keep the Tentacool busy fighting among themselves wherever they could. Yet still more of the Tentacool climbed onto the deck to replace the ones that were beaten back. The fighting became more intense as half an hour passed, before finally the Tentacool numbers started to become thinned down with battle after battle.

As the fighting raged on, another problem arose as the Tentacruel that were busy with the League started to defeat their Pokemon. A Charmeleon was the first to fall to one Tentacruel's Hydro Pump. The second to fall was a Beautifly, having been knocked into the water by the same Tentacruel's Acid, coating its wings and bringing the poor Pokemon down. Both Pokemon were quickly recalled by their trainers but now the Tentacruel was making its way to the wheelhouse.

"Jacob we've got to stop that thing!" Karen said as her team finished with yet another Tentacool. "Let's get Shrew and Harold to bring it down!"

"Harold, help Shrew with that Tentacruel!" Jacob called to his Grovyle."

"Grovyle!" Harold called back, before leaping high over their heads to land next to Shrew.

"Breloom!" Shrew said as he bent his head down and charged the Tentacruel with Harold right beside him.

"Shrew!" Karen shouted, giving Jacob a nod.

"Harold!" Jacob shouted as well, nodding in understanding.

"DOUBLE MEGA DRAIN ATTACK!" They both shouted together.

Both grass Pokemon jumped onto the Tentacruel's upper body and clenched down together, before glowing slightly as they started absorbing vital nutrients from the Water Pokemon.

"Tentacruuuuuuuuuel!" The water Pokemon growled as it shook to try and knock the two grass types off of it.

Both grass Pokemon jumped off before the Tentacruel could retaliate with its tentacles, but after they left it soon made a hasty retreat, jumping off the ferry and back into the water with a resounding splash. Along the ferry other Tentacool and Tentacruels were starting to retreat back into the water as well.

The ferry started shaking slightly as the weight of all the Pokemon shifted constantly before it finally settled down. Once the deck became quiet, a loud cheering arose from the trainers as well as the Pokemon.

"We did it!" Karen shouted as her team regrouped with her, cheering alongside her as well, joining in a big group hug.

"We're safe guys, nicely done!" Jacob told his team as they too cheered and made their own group hug, while Sara did pirouettes around them.

"You showed those stupid Tentas didn't you Megan?" Cynthia said to her Meganium, giving her a pat on the head.

"Meganium!" It said with a smile.

"Nicely done Zuzu!" Victor said to his Zubat as it landed on his shoulder.

All along the deck Pokemon and Trainer celebrated their victory over the ferry attack, at least those that were strong enough to. The ones that were exhausted merely chuckled or patted each other's backs, heads, or whatever they could to show their appreciation.

If there were any other Psychic's out helping battle the Tentacool and Tentacruel, they might have sensed that they were not safe. However Sara was the only Psychic awake at the time, since Ten was still asleep and still in their room, and since she was busy dancing with joy because of Jacob's emotions, she didn't sense the fear and worry coming from the wheelhouse.

=Propelling Problems=

(The Ferry Captain's PoV)

"Status report Jeff!" The Captain demanded as the trainers celebrated on deck.

"They're still underneath us captain, their numbers have not changed!" Jeff shouted as he flipped switches to get as many readings from the radar as he could.

"Then they aren't done with us yet!" The Captain shouted as a beeping noise came from the radio, and he instantly grabbed it and turned it on. "What's up Yorik?"

*Captain, we have trouble down here!* Yorik said with a panicked voice. *The ferry took some damage from the initial attack, the propellers aren't turning properly and we're taking on water! The rudder isn't responding either and I can't get them working without going out there and fixing them myself. I have drainers working full speed to keep the water level down but I doubt they'll work forever at this rate. I know you don't want to abandon ship but I wouldn't want to be on board if the drainers can't keep the water from rising!*

"How long will it take for us to leave the Tenta's territory?" He demanded.

*If we were running at full speed maybe another seven hours chief, but with the propellers not turning properly and no steering, I wouldn't place any bets on us getting out here anytime soon!* Yorik said, sounding even more panicked. *I'll see what I can do about stopping the water from rising, and if I can find out what's wrong with the propellers from here, but be prepared for the worst Captain!*

"Report back as soon as you can!" He ordered as he hung the radio up before switching to the deck intercom. "Kelly, get up here now!"

In a few minutes Kelly entered the wheelhouse, looking tired alongside her Dustox from the battle. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"The ferry took some damage from the Tenta's initial attack, we're dead in the water right now and we're taking on water!" He said. "There is no way the life boats will make it to Slateport if the pod returns for a second round. How many water types do you and your fellow league members have because we need them to help make repairs to the vessel?"

Kelly looked out for a moment before shaking her head. "We only have Starmie, and there's no way it can repair anything." She said. "The only Pokemon with appendages capable of performing any form of repairs are the fire types, and they aren't too thrilled about going in the water. Raichu and Seviper might, but they aren't good enough swimmers to be going under water with a pod of Tentacool and Tentacruel still down there."

"What about the other trainers, do any of them have Pokemon who can help us?" The Captain asked.

"Maybe, I'll need to ask." Kelly said as Yorik called back on the radio.

"What is it Yorik?"

*Captain, the propellers are jammed, I think something is caught up in them.* Yorik said. *The computer says something has the propellers jammed up and is keeping them from rotating properly. As for the rudder I think it's broken, we need to replace it before the ferry will turn again! I have a temporary fix that we can use to manually turn the vessel if I manually alternate the propeller's rotation speeds from here, but for that to work we need to unclog them.*

"What about the water, how's the water level looking?"

*I think if we can clog the source of the leak we'll be fine, but I can't reach it from here! The drainers are keeping the water level in check, but if I can't get the propellers turning soon then I'll have to shut down the engine to keep it from overheating and breaking down, and you know what that'll mean!*

"Curses…" He said. "Keep me informed, I'll see what I can do about the propellers."

"I guess it looks like we have no choice but to ask the trainers for help again." Kelly said. "I'll go and tell them the situation."

"Hold up a second." He said, turning to Elizabeth.

"Vaporeon?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yea girl, we need your help." He said. "You know the ship as well as I do, I need you to go into the waters with whatever Pokemon Kelly sends down and help them get propellers unclogged, and locate where the leak is and seal it! I know you're not as spry as you used to be, but we need all the help we can get if we're getting out of this! I'll tell Yorik to shut down the engine temporarily so that you guys can find the problems and fix them safely."

"Vapor!" The Vaporeon said with an understanding not, before jumping down and going with Kelly outside.

(Jacob's PoV)

"I wonder what's wrong." Karen said as the official trainer walked back out of the wheelhouse and on deck.

"I don't know, but I don't think she's going to tell us that were safe." Jacob said.

"Everyone, gather around, we have an emergency situation." The trainer said when she and a Vaporeon reached the center of the deck.

As one all of the trainers and their Pokemon gathered around the official in a big semicircle for word about the situation. Once they were finished she took a deep breath and spoke up.

"Right now the ferry is dead in the water, the propellers are clogged up and the rudder is broken." She said gravely. "Unfortunately we weren't prepared for a situation like this, and the Pokemon we officials have aren't suited for repairs at sea in dangerous waters. I need any of you with water Pokemon to bring them out now who can help us out of this situation."

As one all the trainers started recalling their Pokemon before sending out those that were more suited to the water. Karen and Cynthia didn't have any Pokemon capable of swimming, so they and most of the others simply stepped out of the semicircle so they wouldn't be in the way. Victor sent out his Tentacool and, after tying a yellow ribbon so the other Pokemon wouldn't confuse Coal for the other Tentacools, Jacob brought out Coral his Feebas.

She started flopping around being out of water but Jacob quickly calmed her down, amid laughter and snorts, so that she could focus. Among Coral and Coal, there were five other water types, including a Marill, a Seel, a Poliwhirl, a Krabby, and a Seadra.

"Alright water Pokemon, listen up, we need you to go down into the water and help us fix the problems were having with the ferry!" Kelly said in a loud, clear voice so that everyone would hear exactly what she was saying. "I'm going to divide you into two teams, Team A will be with Elizabeth here and working to unclog the propellers as well as try to seal up a leak in the boat to prevent us from sinking. Team B will be protecting Team A from Tentacool and Tentacruel attacks that might harass them down there! Am I clear?"

All the Pokemon who could nodded to show they understood, while Coral just merely said "Feebas!"

"Alright then, sorry for not knowing your names if your trainers gave you any, but the Seel, Seadra, Feebas, and Marill will be on Team B. I want the Tentacool, Krabby, and Poliwhirl will be on Team A! Elizabeth here will fill you all in on any other details once you're in the water, any questions?"

"Yea I got one, are you really going to send in that fish to take on these Tentacool?" A trainer who was standing near Karen said. "No offense, but that thing wouldn't last five seconds down there!"

Karen promptly introduced the trainer to her fist after that statement, but not before Coral looked depressed at those words. "Don't you listen to him Coral!" Jacob said to the Feebas, turning her around so she could see him. "That lady's an Official League Trainer, and she put you on the team to help protect us. This is your chance to put all that training we've been doing to good use. Now you go down there and show them what you're made of, this is your chance to prove everyone wrong about you!"

"Feebas!" Coral said with a determined look as he and all the other trainers who had water Pokemon went to let them off the ferry and into the water.

=A Wish Granted=

(Coral's PoV)

Coral watched as she and all the other water types approached the edge with their trainers, and then as one they were either let go of or jumped over the edge.

"BE CAREFUL CORAL!" Jacob shouted to her as he let her go, causing her to fall down, down, before splashing into the water.

Once she got her bearings she righted herself and looked around at her fellow Pokemon before another body splashed into the water with them, the aging Vaporeon named Elizabeth. "Alright Teams, this way to the aft section of the ferry!" She said. "Forgive me for being a little slow, but I'm not as young as I used to be!"

"How are we going to unclog the propellers?" The Krabby said as he and the others followed her.

"We'll find out when we reach it, hopefully Zack will have shut the engine down." She replied. "Everyone keep an eye out for any cracks in the ferry's bottom, we need to find the leak as soon as possible so our trainers aren't sinking with the ship."

As they made their way toward the rear of the ferry, Coral suddenly felt resistance behind her, as though something were pulling her backward. She swam harder but the feeling kept ahold of her, pulling her ever so slightly backward. "Uh… I think I've got a problem here!" Coral said nervously, not wanting to look weak in front of the others.

Elizabeth swam back to Coral and used her tail to move Coral forward so that she escaped the grip of whatever was pulling her back. "Looks like we found our leak." The Vaporeon said as she swam closer to the ferry, inspecting a small but noticeable crack where several bubbles were appearing. "It doesn't look too big; this should hold it at least for now!"

Vaporeon released a jet of muddy water at the crack, sealing it up with the sticky mud before swimming on. "Thank you." Coral said as the Vaporeon took the lead again.

"Next time little fish, will you at least, try to be a little… I don't know… helpful?" Seadra said with a snort as he swam ahead of her. "Instead of… helpless or useless?"

Coral tried to ignore his words as she tried to keep up with the other water types while they made their way to the rear of the ferry. Once they were at the ferry, they found the propellers that the trainer on deck spoke of. There were two large flower-like propellers pointing out of the main body of the ferry, with a larger one in between the two smaller ones. Running along all three were several strands of Seaweed wrapping around each of them, jamming them up and preventing them from turning.

"There's our problem, looks like when the Tentacool and Tentacruel swam up to attack, they dragged some seaweed up with them and it got caught up in the ferry's wake." Elizabeth said as she swam closer to inspect. "This stuff is a nightmare to get rid of; we'll have to be thorough when cutting through it. Alright Team A, let's get to work! Krabby, you use your pincers to cut up the seaweed while Poliwhirl, you unravel them and toss them away, Tentacool you and me will work on the other propeller. Once we're done we'll work together on the main propeller! Team B, watch our backs and keep those Tentacool away from us while we work."

"Assuming one of us can actually watch your back." Seadra said as he took up a position well below the ferry.

"Let it go will you!" Marill said nervously as she and the rest of Team B joined him. "She's just trying to help!"

"I know for a fact that she's about as helpful as a Magikarp!" Seadra said, not looking back to respond.

"I am not useless!" Coral said. "I'm just as good as any…"

"Can you do a simple Bubble Attack?" Seadra asked as he stopped swimming when he was in position.

Coral didn't answer, knowing full well that the Seadra had a point, all she could do was Splash, which did absolutely nothing, Tackle, which was the most common and basic move every Pokemon knew how to do, and Flail, which did more damage the more wounded she was. Compared to the other water Pokemon swimming with her, she was literally the most useless among them.

"Don't pay him any mind miss fish!" The Seel said, swimming up next to her. "He's just worried about his trainer being up there without him. His trainer and mine are twins you see, and she can't swim and has a great fear towards water. She was given him at a young age to try and overcome her fear, but she still hasn't gotten over it. She's not as afraid of water with him next to her… but well… just believe me when I say that he's only acting this way because he's very worried about her."

Coral nodded, though she still couldn't erase the sting of the Seadra's words. This was her big chance, her first and probably only chance to prove everyone wrong about her, and more importantly prove to Jacob he was right about her all along. Yet the moment she gets it, the first thing she does is get trapped in a tiny suction from a small crack in the ferry.

"Here they come!" Seadra shouted, snapping her back to reality.

Coral looked down to see a dozen or so Tentacool with two Tentacruel rising up toward them, eyes glaring at them as they propelled themselves faster.

"I'll take the first group!" Seadra declared, charging forward and meeting the first five Tentacool with a Bubblebeam attack.

The Tentacool countered with their tentacles, trying to Constrict him, but the Seadra was far too nimble in the water for them to catch. The rest of pod continued their attack, heading straight for the ferry and propellers.

"I'll take those two!" Marill shouted as she swam forward and delivered a Bubblebeam of her own before smacking one of them with an Aqua Tail as a third turned to take her on.

With Seadra taking on five Tentacool at once, and Marill handling three on her own, this left four Tentacool and two Tentacruel for Seel and Cora to deal with as they continued heading for the ferry.

"I'll take those three on if you can handle the fourth." Seel said with a nod as he swam to take on the Tentacool.

Coral swam forward, pushing her tail muscles as hard as she could to build up enough speed before she delivered a powerful Tackle to her target. It had some effect on the Tentacool, but it wasn't very effective against the Jellyfish Pokemon. Still it got its attention, causing it to try and constrict Coral with its tentacles.

Coral swam to get out of its reach, and barely avoided being captured, before she swam again at full speed to deliver yet another Tackle. This time it seemed to have more effect as it smacked it square between the eyes.

While they handled the Tentacool however, the Tentacruels made their way to the ferry and started smacking at it with their many tentacles and rocking it back and forth. "The Ferry!" Coral shouted to everyone, but they were all so busy with their own battles that none of them could help.

Coral wanted to try and stop them, but she stood no chance against either of them. So all she could do was watch as one of the Tentacruel started climbing up onto the deck while its fellow continued to rock the ferry back and forth.

A moment later a blue blur swam around it in a rapid circle, before an Aurora Beam smashed into the Tentacruel from Elizabeth's mouth. "You insolent little whelp!" She screamed, quite loudly for an 'old' girl. "Get away from that ferry!"

She then smacked it with her tail, nimbly avoiding its numerous tentacles as it tried to constrict her as well as shoot a blast of Hydro Pump. Then she countered with her own Hydro Pump, sending it straight into the Tentacruel's face and forcing it down into the depths where it came from.

"And stay down you whelp!" She yelled, before having a coughing fit.

Coral finished off her Tentacool quickly, forcing it to retreat before she swam over to the old Vaporeon. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'll be fine; I'm just not as young as I used to be." She said with a weak smile. "The old muscles aren't as strong as they once were, getting harder and harder to even use a single Hydro Pump. Don't worry about me though, worry about those Tentacools!"

As Elizabeth swam back to the propellers Coral swam back to help Seel with his Tentacools. He was having a hard time defeating them being outnumbered three to one, but with Coral's help they soon evened the odds. While they battled their Tentacool opponents, Marill was busy smacking her foes with her Aqua Tail and Bubblebeam bursts. Seadra was literally flying rings around his opponents, having already knocked out two of his original five opponents and now tiring out the remaining three as they tried to keep up with him.

(Jacob's PoV)

"Oof!" Jacob groaned as the ferry gave a sudden jolt to the side, causing him and everyone else on the deck to fall over.

Their Pokemon hadn't been in the water for more than five minutes before the ferry had been hit yet again. He was hoping that Coral was doing fine down there, more for her safety than anything else. He didn't want anything bad to happen to her because he sent her against hopeless odds. Sure she had help, but she was still a Feebas who only knew Tackle and Flail.

"I hope our Pokemon are okay down here!" A teen girl of about Karen's age said as she got up.

"Same here!" Jacob said.

They all went back to the side of the ferry where they had dropped their water Pokemon, hoping for a sign that they were alright. Sara joined him at the edge, unable to look over because of her size but using her power to sense what was happening as best she could. Suddenly Sara screamed in Jacob's mind. (Behind us!)

Jacob turned with everyone else to see a Tentacruel climbing onto the deck, glaring at them all as it pulled its tentacles out to grab whoever was closest.

"Watch out!" Karen shouted, trying to grab one of her team's Pokeballs but was too slow before she was smacked onto the deck by a tentacle.

Since Sara was the only Pokemon on deck as well as having the quickest reaction time, she sent a blast of Confusion against it. "Tentacruuuuuuuuuel…" It moaned as it shook violently from the attack, lashing out against whoever was closest.

It lurched forward and, unable to see where it was going or who was in front of it. Everybody ran to get out of the way, but Jacob and a teen girl who talked about their Pokemon's safety were not fast enough to avoid its many lashing tentacles. One of the tentacles touched Jacob's side as he tried to duck out of the way, and instinctively it latched onto him, grabbing him tightly and taking him with the rest of the Tentacruel into the water, along with the girl.

(JACOOOOOOOB!) Sara yelled desperately as the next thing he felt was water all around him, still being gripped tightly by the Tentacruel.

=Coral's Inner Beauty=

(Coral's PoV)

Coral was busy helping Seel fight off two Tentacools at once when a sudden large body splashed into the water above them. All she saw was the upper half of a Tentacruel sinking down into the water with a trail of bubbles following it. Then she heard the scream of Sara calling out Jacob's name in her mind.

As the Tentacruel sank below them and the bubbles finally cleared, Coral saw tightly gripped in its tentacles two humans, a teen girl of about Karen's age, and Jacob.

"Jacob!" Coral screamed as she started pushing her tail muscles to their limits to catch up to the sinking Tentacruel.

Alerted by the sinking Tentacuel, and just finishing off his last opponent, Seadra turned to see what Coral was yelling about. Instantly his eyes widened as he saw who was being dragged down into the water with the Pokemon. "Samantha!" He screamed, racing up to the Tentacruel which was still lashing out against whoever was close by.

Seadra darted at the Tentacruel's main body and smacked it as hard as he could with his head, then he sent jet after jet of his Bubblebeam at the tentacles, injuring and damaging them until they finally released the girl.

The girl's mouth was opening and closing as she tried to breathe air where there was none, her arms and legs flailing about in a panicked state as she tried desperately to swim but failing to do so. Bubbles of precious oxygen left her mouth every time she tried to breathe, and despite being released, she only sank deeper into the water because of her thrashing.

Seadra swam up to her and, after she settled down just enough to recognize him, allowed her to grab onto him tightly so he could swim her back up to the surface as fast as his body could permit.

Coral chased after the Tentacruel as well, trying her best to keep up with the sinking Pokemon that was three times her size. "Let my trainer go!" She yelled at the oversized water type, smacking it with her Tackle to try and force it to let Jacob go, but it had no effect on the Pokemon.

"No, this is what he and the rest of you get for intruding on our territory!" The Tentacruel growled, gripping him tighter as he sank deeper and deeper.

Coral, knowing that Jacob must be running out of oxygen, did the only thing her mind could think of, and shoved her way through the forest of tentacles to try and reach him. She managed to get within two feet of him before she was grabbed by another tentacle. She struggled to get loose, but its grip was too strong for her weak muscles to break free. All she did was wiggle a little before she tired herself out. She looked ahead of her, where literally two feet in front of her was Jacob's struggling and twisting form, trying desperately to break free of the constricting tentacle that had him bound.

*No… not like this…* She thought to herself, trying anything she could to break free and save her trainer, Jacob, the first human to ever think of her as something besides ugly and useless.

(Feebas may not be the prettiest fish I've seen, but I know she's the toughest I'll ever see!) Jacob's voice said in her head as she remembered the kindest words he ever said about her. (We'll make the other trainers so jealous of how tough you are, they'll be running off in droves to find their own.)

Coral looked at Jacob's face as his struggling started to get weaker and weaker, moving slower as the oxygen he was holding onto became less and less. (I still think Coral is the best fish around even if the judges don't think she's pretty!)

*Please, let me save him, just one time!*She wished desperately, trying to gather all of her energy for one last desperate thrash in a vain attempt to escape. *Let me save the one trainer, who believed in me and never gave up on me!*

It didn't matter to her what happed now, she didn't care if this would be her last day alive! All that mattered to her was saving one life, just one single life that to her was more precious than her own! "I don't care if I'm an ugly fish forever, but I won't let you kill Jacob because I was too weak to save him!" She yelled defiantly, giving one final thrash at her binds as a sudden burst of energy just seemed to tear through her entire body.

Then a brilliant flash of light blinded her, and its source was her own body.

A revelation smashed into her brain as she realized what was happening. She only knew what was happening thanks to Harold's and Sara's explanation about this experience, she was evolving!

Her body began elongating, becoming longer and longer with each second. She felt her tail fin grow larger and extend outward as her smaller side fins shrink to nothing. As she continued to grow longer and larger, two fins grew from her head and extend along with her body, she also felt two antennae grow out of her head as well. Still her body continued to grow larger and longer, no longer could the Tentacruel's tentacles hold her body as both her head and tail pushed out, finally free of the Pokemon's grip.

In fact no longer was he three times her size, she was now double his size, and STILL she was growing!

Not only did she grow larger and longer, she became smarter! Her brainpower had increased ten times what she was once capable of as a Feebas, thoughts and concepts that had escaped and eluded her as a fish, she now was capable of. Yet still this paled in comparison to what she was capable of as her evolution continued, because she was still growing and evolving.

Now her body, being stretched because of her positioning, stretched to four times the size of the Tentacruel's before the glowing stopped, signaling that her evolution was finished.

She would have examined herself to see what she had become, but her mind, sharper and smarter now that she had finished evolving, took charge of her actions. She smacked the Tentacruel with her tail, which looked like some kind of colorful blue fan. The attack was so simple yet so powerful, that the Tentacruel released Jacob in an attempt to save himself. She then opened her mouth and released a powerful jet of water, so powerful that it pushed the Tentacruel out of sight, ensuring that the Pokemon would not come back up again.

Then she turned her attention to Jacob's floating form, limp as he was now almost completely unconscious and out of oxygen. She swam to him, easily wrapping her peach colored body around him, and gently but swiftly, swam up to the surface with him in powerful bursts thanks to her new tailfin. In less than one minute, she had swam past the other water Pokemon who were still battling the remaining Tentacool, becoming nothing but a blur as she raced to save her trainer.

She swam to the rear of the ferry, burst through the water and shoved Jacob into the fresh night air so he could breathe. He coughed and gasped for that lifesaving oxygen his body needed, unaware what was holding him. As carefully and gently as she could, she pulled her body onto the ferry and Jacob with her. She placed Jacob on the deck of the ferry, and looked at his face with caring eyes even though he had yet to see her, knowing that the reason she had evolved was because of him. Yet he was still in danger, so with a heavy heart, she jumped back into the water with a loud splash to help the others.

*I'll be back Jacob, just wait a little longer!* She thought proudly, knowing that she was no longer a weak little fish and daring anyone to say she was ugly.

She swam below the ferry and saw that there were still four or five Tentacools remaining, and Seel, Seadra, and Marill were getting tired. "Hey you!" She called out, getting everyone's attention.

They all turned to stare at her; Marill was awestruck while Seadra and Seel were left speechless as they beheld her form. The Tentacool merely looked at her before charging together at her. She gave them only half a second before she released a powerful Water Pulse at them, striking each one in a single blast. This was the final straw for the pod as they turned and fled as fast as they could, back into the deeper waters they had come from.

With the threat over, Coral swam down to her fellow water Pokemon and looked at them with a smile. "Well, how do I look now?" She asked them with a smug expression.

Seadra was the first to speak up after a few minutes of utter silence in shock. "Is that… you Feebas?" He asked, utterly speechless.

Coral nodded gently. "My name is Coral; it was a gift my trainer gave me when he first picked me up months ago." She said. "He out of every other trainer that passed me by thought I was not an ugly, useless fish."

"Good for him, wait till he sees what you look like now!" Marill said, still awestruck at what she was looking at.

"Yea… you look nothing like what you were before!" Seel said. "What happened to you?"

Coral looked up at the ferry, seeing Elizabeth and the rest of Team A finishing up unclogging the last propeller. "My trainer happened to me!" She said with a huge smile.

(Jacob's PoV)

"Jacob are you alright?" Karen asked as she helped him onto the main deck, after he wearily stumbled onto it from the rear of the ferry.

"Yea I'm fine… but how did I get back up here?" He said, still not sure what happened.

All he remembered was that one moment he was sinking below the water, clutched in a Tentacruel's Constrict, and his Feebas Coral trying desperately to save him, before he started losing consciousness due to lack of Oxygen. Then he saw blurry images of water rushing past, felt himself breathing fresh air as he surfaced, and felt something gently put him on the ferry. Yet before he could focus his eyes to see what had saved him, it was gone.

"I don't know, but after Samantha's Seadra rescued her but you didn't come up, we started getting worried." Karen said as Sara gave him the tightest hug she could muster. "The League trainer with the Starmie was about to send it to get you before you stumbled on deck. Nobody saw what saved you either!"

Jacob nodded as he joined the others with Sara in his arms at the ledge. They waited for a few minutes before a Seadra, Marill, Seel, Krabby, and finally Poliwhirl surfaced. He watched as one by one the Pokemon were retrieved by their trainers; worry growing as he looked around for his little Feebas.

(Coral's PoV)

"Farewell sea maiden, good luck with your journey and protect your trainer well from here on out!" Coal said respectfully as the others surfaced. "I hope we may we meet again in a less hostile situation."

'As do I Coal." Coral said, watching the Tentacool rise up.

Elizabeth swam over to her with beaming eyes, even in her old age she still had a gleam of beauty and power left in her. "Look at you, no more than ten minute ago I was rescuing you from a crack in the ferry's bottom." She said with a chuckle. "Now you're saving your own trainer's life, taking on a Tenacruel all alone, and stunning every single one us dumbstruck! It makes me yearn for my younger days when I too battled and baffled boys and girls alike!"

"Thank you elder one, but you still are beautiful to your trainer!" She said with a knowing nod. "I'm sure he doesn't think you're as old as you pretend to be."

"Oh I know darling, but still I long to be fighting like you." She said with a beaming smile. "Look at us, still down here talking when our trainers are waiting for us up there! Shall we darling?"

"You go first; I want to make my presence known last." Coral said with a smile, before swimming to the other said and waiting for the Vaporeon to get on deck.

(Jacob's PoV)

"Elizabeth, how are the propellers looking?" The Ferry Captain asked as his Vaporeon jumped on the deck.

"Vaporeon!" She said with a smile and a nod.

"Alright then, I'll get this tug moving again! Come on girl!" He said with a smile before heading off to the wheelhouse.

"Wait, what about Coral?" Jacob shouted, still looking around for the muddy scales that were Coral's in the dark blue water. "Where's my Feebas, we can't leave without her!"

"Don't worry Kid we won't leave without her!" The Captain shouted, just before disappearing into the wheelhouse.

A minute passed with Karen and Jacob frantically searching with Sara for Coral, before someone on deck got their attention. "Hey look at that!"

Everyone turned to see what it was, Jacob half expecting another Tentacruel, but it was far from a Tentacruel.

There, climbing onto the deck was the most beautiful serpentine Pokemon Jacob had ever laid eyes on. It had a mostly cream colored body, with two deep red eyes and two pinkish antennae above them. Red hair-like fins extended from its head and ended halfway across its body, which at full length measured twenty feet at the very least! Its lower body had a blue and red diamond pattern with black outlines, and its tail ended in four overlapping blue fins, each with a pink oval spot in their center.

"That is the most beautiful Pokemon I have ever seen!" Cynthia said in amazement. "Whose Pokemon is that?"

"Is it wild?" Another trainer asked as it slowly snaked its way toward them.

"I don't think so or else it wouldn't be here on deck!" Someone else said.

However Jacob's attention was taken away momentarily as Sara tugged at his wet clothes. (Jacob, that's Coral!) She said in amazement.

"Coral?" Jacob said in astonishment. "Is that really you Coral?"

"Milo…tic!" She said with a smile, nodding gently as she reached him and giving him an affectionate nuzzle.

(She says, yes it's me!) Sara translated.

Jacob quickly fumbled for his Pokedex, but remembered he had left it down in his room. However Victor had his on him and looked up Coral in it's database.

[Milotic, the Tender Pokemon, Milotic is said to be the most beautiful of all the Pokémon. It has the power to becalm such emotions as anger and hostility to quell bitter feuding. Milotic is the evolved form of Feebas!]

"No way, that fish from before became that?" Someone shouted in astonishment. "How did that happen?"

"Yea, how did you evolve Coral?" Jacob asked, still amazed that the 'ugly fish' that so many had mocked, became what might possibly be the most beautiful of all Pokemon.

"Milotic... Milo Milotic… Milo Milotic tic!" She said using her tail fin to conceal her face momentarily from view, as though ashamed of herself, but still smiling with pride. "Milotic tic lotic Milo Milotic tic Milo!)

(She says, when you were in trouble I was so desperate to save you that remembering your kind words about me gave me the strength to evolve!) Sara translated. (At that moment, I didn't care what happened to me, even if I was stuck as a Feebas for the rest of my life, all that mattered to me was saving you.)

Jacob was amazed that she had evolved to save him, in his most desperate hour; she had pushed her evolution upon herself. *The Poemon can tell that their trainer had faith in them, and if that connection is strong, they will evolve on the spot with the help of that inner strength that the two share.* Jacob remembered his teacher Arky saying about evolutions. *It happens rarely, but it has been known to occur among Pokemon that travel with their trainers, while enduring difficult challenges with them.*

"Amazing…"Jacob said as Coral beamed happily at him.

"Hey, uh… would you be up to trade that Milotic for my…" Someone was saying before Coral instantly spat a burst of water at them.

"Milotic tic!" She said, coiling around Jacob and using her fins to conceal her face from everyone's but Jacob's view.

After Sara translated, Jacob nervously said what she wanted to say. "She says, if you couldn't look at me at my ugliest, you don't deserve to see me at my prettiest."

Karen busted out laughing as everyone saw that Coral was not going to let herself be parted from Jacob ever.

All Jacob could do was pet Coral's head, amazed that only a small while ago he was defending her from being called the ugliest fish ever. Now here she was defending him from letting anyone try and offer him to trade her away.

Yet even if she didn't, he wouldn't have bothered listening. Coral was his; he had toughed through her journey from being an Ugly Fish Pokemon to becoming the Beautiful Sea Pokemon with her, and he was not going to let her go unless she asked for it.