a/n: I know it's been an eternity since I updated, and I'm sorry. (cries) Everyone, pretty please review! I put a lot of work into thinking out this story, and then writing it down, so the least you could do is review. Anyway, I must thank everyone so far… people review multiple times and the reviews are so LONG! I love that… long reviews that tell you exactly what the reader likes and dislikes are definitely more rewarding.

Red found himself on the deck, but he quickly noticed that he wasn't where he had meant to be. By the looks of it – the sailors lounging around, some of them loading various things onto the ship - he was not on the passenger's deck.

Red sighed, realizing that he'd strayed from his original course. Plainly, he was lost.

Suddenly, he caught sight of someone who was very, very out of place.

"You!" he shouted, pointing a finger at a familiar man wearing a sailor outfit, "Lt. Surge-?!?"

He was puzzled. Some of the soldiers laughed, chuckled, nudged each other in the ribs. But what was most strange was that Surge – the most brash, loud person Red had ever known (perhaps besides himself) – was looking sheepishly down at his boots.

Red decided to find out what was going on, but perhaps he needed to be more discreet than shouting "You!".

"Lt. Surge," he said quietly, as he approached the former gym leader. The man seemed to have changed his ways – at least a little bit – the last time Red had met with him. But he could still be very dangerous.

"What do you want?" he grunted in reply, reclaiming a bit of his old gruffness.

"What are you doing here?" Red asked him, looking at his surroundings.

The man grunted. "Wouldn't you love to know?" he said, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "I'm here because they kicked me out of my gym!"

"They… they what? Who?" in a way, this wasn't a surprise – it seemed to Red that Surge rarely even set foot in the gym. But at the same time, Red had never anticipated this twist.

"The Pokemon League Association – PLA - found out about my activity in Team Rocket, and they took away my position," he grunted reluctantly.

"Oh," was all that Red could manage. He didn't know what to say. Yes, perhaps Surge deserved it, but it still seemed… odd.

"Surge," one of the shipmates called, "that kid recognize you from your leader days?" There was chorus of sneers.

"Leave," Lt. Surge ordered firmly, turning his back to Red after one last glare.

Red, still dazed, made his way off the deck. So much for fresh air…

He knocked on Yellow's door a couple times. "Yellow?" he said.

No answer. She must have left. Red sighed. It was no use… playing tag like this wasn't going to amount to anything. It seemed like Yellow really needed to tell him something, too...

By this time, the sun was already beginning to set, and he was famished. He hadn't eaten anything since a very small breakfast.

He walked into the dining hall, noticing that Blue and Green were already seated… with a few other faces that Red recognized.

Green said something, and they all looked up and smiled at him.

"Misty? Erika? Brock? Funny seeing you here…" though he was surprised, the comment came out more exhausted than anything. It was funny… he had just met another (former, in Surge's case) gym leader in a completely different circumstance.

"Misty is a close friend of the captain," Green explained eagerly, "so when she and the others decided they needed a vacation, they managed to snag the tickets of people who'd canceled their trip at last-minute. And for free!" She winked. "So, Misty, any chance you can hook me up with a free ticket next time?"

Misty looked a bit uncomfortable, knowing that Green was only half joking.

Erika cleared her throat and turned to Blue. "I hear you're grandfather came with you… is he well? I need to speak with him about a new theory I have about Oddishes sleeping patterns… quite remarkable, really…" she stopped short when she saw the look on Blue's face.

"So, I'm assuming he's… not … well?" she asked tentatively.

"He was bitten by an Arbok," Green chimed in, as it seemed that Blue was in no mood to answer. "It was very mysterious."

"They though Janine might have been behind it, but that theory was nixed," Red grunted, sliding into a seat. "Anyway… it's complicated."

The three gymleaders looked concerned.

"If there's anything I can do, tell me. I'll help anyway I can," Brock said stoically.

"Thanks," Blue said in a low tone, getting up from his seat and leaving the table.

Red and Green stayed sitting. Green's cheerful mood seemed to be extinguished.

"I'll go get them," she said weakly, getting up and quickly walking after him.

But first she bent down and whispered, "Tell them. Everything."

Red sighed and turned to the rest of the group.

"So... anyone hear about a guy named Mr. Koopalopolis? Yeah, I guess that's a good place to start..."