"A day never passes without you getting fucked up." Minnie says while patching Yandel up. Him and Wilson snuck into the hotel, trying to avoid being seen by the man on the bounty table.
"That moon star bitch really got me good. I may be an amazing street fighter, but she seems too good at what she does. Can you take care of this?" He looks at his cuffs. She breaks it using Hyper Fang.
"Moon star? Can you describe her for me?" Rillo asks. Yandel explains her in detail, including about the execution. "I figured as much. Enchanted Pokemusu are seen as mythical creatures. Musus of that category are protected class and should anyone commit an offense, the punishment will be through hanging."
"...Man. It was one year in jail for stealing other people's Musus back at my place." He sighs.
"The person you encountered is Celeste. She's one of the two elite warriors of the region. As far as we know, they serve no kings or queens. They're only mission is to keep the peace in Kanto." Wilson explains.
"Fuck. Just what we needed. More headaches." Yandel groans. "We can't stay here any longer. Sooner or later, they're going to come back here and finish the job." He puts on his shirt and cloak. "What are our options?"
Wilson flips through his notes. "Let me see. Going back to Cerulean is out of the question and traversing towards Fiusha will be expected on both routes. Which only leaves us taking the S.S. Anne to Cinnabar."
"No time to waste then. Let's go immediately." Yandel looks out the window. There's barely any people roaming in the streets.
"And just when I was getting comfortable." Rillo groans.
Yandel summons Inayoi. "You're coming with me. Having Minnie by my side will draw attention."
She runs and holds onto Wilson's arm. "I'll only go if he's tagging along." She sticks her tongue out at Yandel.
He sighs. "You do realize I'm your partner, right?" He says that rhetorically before they leave.
The trio make their way towards the port. They approach the stand, where a muscle of a man with a blue bandana awaits. He's writing something, when he notices them. "Can I help you?" He adjusts his glasses.
"Hello. We would like to know if there's room left to board the ship?" Wilson asks.
The man sighs. "Normally we would be sailing at this time, but there's been a big problem." He takes off his glasses to wipe them. "One of the other ships set sail in the afternoon. However, it never arrived in Fiusha. That was until one inmate managed to arrive at the shore. He said they were attacked by a Gyarados. And not just a normal one. According to him, it was Enchanted."
This perks the interest of Yandel. "Enchanted, you say? Who would let a monster like that free?"
"You're guess is as good as mine. That's why all ships have stopped sailing around that general area. Some trainers were sent, but they never came back." The man looks at the ocean. "The sea can be a cruel mistress."
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it." Yandel claims. Shocking everyone.
"Could you come over for a second?" Wilson pulls him away. "Look, I know you're very good at hunting, but this is a Gyarados we're talking about. I'm even afraid to document it."
"I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, but remember our options. If it's up to me, I'd rather deal with something I specialize in. Plus, she's a Shadow. I can't leave her roaming around freely and claim more innocent lives."
Wilson stares at him for a moment, then smiles. "You have the soul of a true knight."
For the first time, Yandel slightly blushes. "Can it with that bullshit. Regardless of where I am, if there's a hunt, I'm going for that cunt."
"I think you're giving too much credit." Inayoi says. Yandel casually goes behind her and slaps her ass hard. "YIIIIIIP!" she shrieks while rubbing it.
"Hey old man, I'm ready to take the hunt." Yandel lets him know.
The man stares at him for a moment. "Those eyes." He notices the gun on Yandel's holster, then smiles. "Ah. So you're Omar's successor?"
Yandel recoils in surprise. "You know him!? What has that viejo not told me, man?" He scratches his head.
"He and I go way back. I was a scrawny cabin boy at the time when we traveled around Kanto to stop the tyranny of the previous King." He looks up at the night sky. "Those were truly simpler times."
"Overthrowing a king sounds anything but simple." Yandel shakes his head.
The old man chuckles. "I'm sure you'll look back on these times the same way when you're my age." He stands. "I'll get the platform ready. My name is Percy." He extends his hand.
"Yandel." He shakes his hand firmly.
"All right, Yandel. This will be a tough battle. You can grab anything from my ship that will help."
"Thank you. If you don't mind, I have a crew with me that needs to board."
Percy laughs. "That's no problem. There's plenty of room. Give me the details to assign a room for them." Yandel tells him the information and goes up to Wilson and Inayoi.
"I already let him know about the rest. Go get them while I supply myself." Yandel says. Wilson nods and they head off. Not before Inayoi slaps his ass as payback. "Should've seen that coming." He groans.
The Dark Sea
The ship is sailing in the middle of the ocean. The platform attached at the end is said to withstand the likes of Lugia. It has a magical rod in the middle to create a force field against powerful attacks. The crew are looking at the calm waters. Which puts them on edge, as they don't know when the Gyarados will strike. Yandel is getting ready for the upcoming battle. He found a grappling hook, which he placed around his waist.
Minnie approaches him. "I heard you were going alone."
"Yeah. You know how this goes." He hands her the balls containing Inayoi and Kakyoin. "Hold them for me." Minnie accepts it and gives him a surprise kiss. He shoves her away. "Ugh. I hate it when you do that." He wipes his mouth.
"Good. You need to pay me back." She says with a straight face.
He rolls his eyes before hopping onto the platform. A white cloaked individual jumps to join him. "I wasn't aware there was another volunteer." Yandel says with his hand resting on Deal Breaker.
"No need to fret, fellow Hunter." Says the hooded figure. She pulls the hood down, revealing a dirty blonde woman. She has a star emblem on the front of her hair. Her crimson eyes analyzing Yandel. "When I heard there was an Enchanted Gyarados causing, I knew you were going to try and catch it."
Yandel starts circling around her. "Think you're clever for cornering me? Sorry to disappoint you, but it doesn't take Bill to figure out that where there are Shadows, I emerge to stop them."
She snickers at the line. "True. But Bill wouldn't know that you come from another world."
"That really all you got? Even old people could see that."
"Team Snagem." He stops in his tracks. "You were part of them when you were…sixteen? Back in Orre, I believe." He faces her with an intense glare. "Ah! You're also the son of Wis-"
Yandel quickly shoots. The air bullet barely grazed her cheek. "Who the hell are you?" Instead of being shocked, the woman smirks.
"RAAOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A roar erupts from the quiet night. Everyone faces the direction of the sound. There's a black mist in the distance. The only thing visible are the blood red glowing eyes piercing through the fog.
The woman pulls out dual golden sickles. "Look alive, Hunter. Because the true enemy has just arrived!"
Yandel looks at her, then back at the mist. "...After this, you have some explaining to do." He starts shooting at the mist to draw her attention. The woman cuts the cord, separating them from the ship as it keeps sailing.
Through the Maelstrom - Final Fantasy XIV
Gyarados emerges in front of them, intimidating the two with her towering figure. She's wearing bronze necklaces and a brown leather skirt. The black markings on her body represents her Shadow status. "RAAOOOOOOO!" The force of the cry slightly blows them away, that they have to hold their ground. She raises her left arm to slam, which they dodge out of the way. The impact causes the platform to tilt. The woman takes advantage and slides to slice her face. Gyarados ducks the attack and tries to punch her, but she gets hit by the barrage of bullets from Yandel. The constant harassment of the two aggravates her, turning her markings red. Gyarados descends into the water.
The calm sea doesn't comfort them, as they search around for her. Suddenly, the platform shakes and is being lifted by Gyarados from below. She flings it a good distance. The two grab hold the pole to brace for impact. The platform crashes against the water, but they're intact. Gyarados is charging a Hyper Beam.
"Shit! How did you act-" Yandel gets cut off by the woman striking the crystal with her weapon, erecting a magical barrier around them. Gyarados unleashes her ultimate attack. The barrier cracks and a small beam manages to break through, hitting the woman on her shoulder. Even if it was a small strike, the force from the attack sends her overboard. Yandel sees that Gyarados is gasping. "Tch. Arceus dammit!" He removes his shoes and cloak to dive after the woman. He grabs her, then notices Gyarados swimming after them. He kicks the woman up to the surface as he twists his body to dodge the incoming charge. Gyarados stops to recover from her fatigue, giving Yandel the opportunity to swim to the platform with the woman. Pulling her to the center, a Thunderstone falls from her. He picks it up.
"RAAAAAA!" Gyarados surfaces and prepares another Hyper Beam.
"Let's hope this works." He inserts the stone in Deal Breaker. The gun transforms into an electrical sniper rifle. Not questioning it, he crouches and takes aim. "Smile, you son of a bitch!" He pulls the trigger. The bullet travels as fast as lightning, hitting the energy of the Hyper Beam and causes a mass explosion.
"KYAAAAAOOOOOOH!" Gyarados cries as she descends. The gun turns back to normal, with the stone losing its energy.
"Woah. So that's what the old bag meant." He is impressed by her handiwork. Gyarados emerges in front of them, clearly exhausted. "Sorry, but you're done." He throws a Pokéball. The ball twitches a couple times until she is fully captured.
Bounty Successful!
"Fuck. That took a lot of me." He sighs as he uses the grappling hook to pull the ball towards him. He grabs it and sits down. The woman puts the sickle around his neck. "About time you woke up."
"Seems your skills truly lived up to the expectations." She laughs.
"That's what I want to know. How do you know my dad?"
"Why bother speaking to a dead man?"
He thinks for a moment, watching the still sea. "Entertain a man's last wish."
"...Your father is here. He's the one who created the Enchanted Pokemusu." The woman says.
"...I see." Yandel casts his gaze at the ball. "Where is he?"
"That I can't say." She presses the blade on his neck. "Hand it over."
"That I can't do. I have a duty to follow. And you're gonna have to pry it from my cold dead hands." He closes his eyes. Expecting a swift death. But it never comes.
She puts away the weapons. "A life for a life." She summons Seaking. "Next time we cross paths, it will be your execution." She hops on the Musu. She turns to Yandel and grins. "Bye, fellow Hunter~!" They swim away, leaving the poor hunter stranded at sea.
"Ugh. I'll figure out how to get out of here later." He plops on the floor to sleep.
