Before the actual author's note, big shout out to all of those who have reviewed so far! I really appreciate the feedback on the chapters as well as hearing that you've actually read Tales of Flame and Anomaly (Respectively authored by Buwaro and Dark Magician Girl Aeris)! Okay, I advertised unintentionally there, that might happen. But anyway...

All right, now we've seen that Alexa is currently a mindless slave. And there might be someone on the inside that may help change things but doesn't know how yet. But, I also understand that you may have questions and/or conclusions about the characters and the roles they're playing, what they may have done to each other that I haven't mentioned, and so on. But, unfortunately... you'll have to keep reading to find out more for yourselves. Hah! Yes, I like being an arse like that. But, I've taken up enough of your time, on with Chapter 9!

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Finally, we began to set off on our journey. Norman had wanted us to stay in 'Petalburg City' to get some supplies before heading off to search for Alexa. We didn't have to wait around any longer... our rescue mission could begin.

There was silence as our little group continued onward once we left the huge group of buildings. I saw Jack boredly looking around while he walked to my left, Mudkip determinedly staring ahead while she was on my right. Norman and Greg were behind us, by this point Greg had released a new pokémon to fly over us in order to search for any sight of the cave Jack and I had seen in case it wasn't on this 'Dewford Island.' I knew immediately it was related to Taillow, later learning it was the evolved form and was called Swellow. But, other than that... I didn't really know anything about the newest pokémon in my life.

It didn't matter that much though. What really mattered was finding Alexa and getting her away from those people in black. Soon enough the humans stopped though; I looked back with Mudkip and Jack to see exactly why. It looked like we were at some old wooden structure that humans built. It wasn't at all like the one where we had stayed to rest though, nor was it like the one where we got supplies from; it was just different, somehow.

"Ralts, are you ready to go inside? Professor Birch told me about a man named Briney over the phone; we're going to go see him and ask him for help," I blinked when Norman began to speak to me again before I hesitantly nodded; if he was doing all he could to help Alexa, then working with him would be the best possible thing for me to do, even if I didn't like him all that much.

I floated in behind Mudkip, Norman and Greg, Swellow being returned to its pokéball while Jack strutted in behind me as if he didn't have a care in the world. I don't know why, but it made me a little sore with him; it was almost as if he didn't really care about Alexa being kidnapped by those people in black or about what might happen to her if we didn't get there soon. I'd have to have a little chat with him later...

"Mr. Briney?" I looked forward to see an old human coming to the door of the building. He inspected our little group before sighing and giving Norman a weak smile, right before Norman began to speak again, "I guess you already know the circumstances, Professor Birch must have already told you-"

"I haven't sailed for years... Norman, is it?" The old man asked before Norman nodded towards him. Then, he sighed again before shaking his head at both Norman and Greg, "I'm afraid I don't have any boats in good enough condition to sail to Dewford Island, and then I have to take care of Peecko..."

"What about that boat tied to the dock over there?" Greg intervened, pointing towards the craft (I assumed it was a 'boat') while continuing on, "That boat looks like it's ready to go at any time! And the sooner we can go, the sooner we can get Alexa away from Team Rocket!"

Before I knew it the humans were in an argument; Norman and Greg seemed to be getting more and more upset over the matter while the older human remained stone cold. I wanted to do something but... there was no real way to communicate with the old man without a telepathic connection, and even then I wasn't sure that he'd listen to me. I knew where I could turn my frustrated mind to, however.

I drifted towards Jack, who was just sitting on the floor while watching the humans fight. He didn't even seem upset about how long this was taking...! "You don't even look worried! Alexa is counting on us to save her and all you're doing is sitting there!"

"There's no point in wasting my energy over it, there's nothing I can do about anything for the time being," I felt even more annoyed with Jack as he closed his eyes, right before he sighed and opened one of them while looking away from me, "What're you staring at, birdy?"

"My name is Peecko, not Birdy."

My attention turned to the pokémon Jack had been speaking too before I blinked; I recognized her as 'Wingull' and knew immediately from her voice that she was a girl at least. Then, her pitch-black eyes turned to me before going to my left, towards Mudkip, "I suppose you are guests of Captain Briney. He hasn't been at sea for a very long time though..."

"Please, you've got to get him to help us!" I moved towards Peecko in an attempt to get her attention; it seemed to have done the trick because her eyes were on me once more, "My trainer is in a lot of trouble! We know that she's on this island the other humans want to go to, and if we don't hurry then something bad might happen to Alexa!"

"What would you do without your trainer, Peecko? Would you do anything to get him back safely?" Mudkip interrupted me while she began to speak to the flying pokémon; I could understand why Mudkip could be calmer about the situation than I was but I still couldn't help but squirm; I just had a bad feeling about Alexa, what if those humans in black had already done something to her?

It was then I noticed exactly how silent it was in the room; the humans had stopped talking in favour of staring at us while Peecko seemed to be thinking about what Mudkip had just said. Then, the Wingull sighed before words began to slip though her beak, words that would have made me jump for joy had I not already been floating, "I would do anything to get Captain Briney back if anything happened to him. It wouldn't be fair to ask for help from others in that situation if I didn't give it to others with the same problem; I'll talk to the Captain."

I ended up tackling Mudkip and hugging her tightly while Peecko flew up to the older human's shoulder; Mudkip squeaked when I did this as I began to... show my gratitude, for lack of better terms, "Thank you so much! Because of you we're going to get Alexa back!"

"It's no trouble... really... I can't breathe."

I felt my face become really hot as I crawled off of the other pokémon, she was gasping for breath as I hung my head in embarrassment, "Sorry about that..."

"Don't wet yourself yet, we still have to get her away from those humans remember?"

I froze when Jack had said that; he was right, we were going to get to where Alexa was being kept but we still had to make sure she got out of there... I looked towards him again to see that his eyes had closed, right before my attention was swiftly caught by the older human speaking.

"Everyone, we're getting onto the boat. Apparently Peecko thinks it's a good idea to help you, and who am I to argue? Let's set sail!"

"All right! Whatever you said Mudkip, it worked. Thanks a bunch," Greg patted Mudkip gently on the head while grinning, and honestly that grin was infectious; I could feel a smile coming onto my face as I floated out behind everyone else... or, I thought I was behind everyone else until I looked back at Jack.

He had fallen asleep. He would pay dearly for that...

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I was starting to get a strong distaste for psychic pokémon. They kept waking me up and didn't have any Oran Berries or Oran Berry 'Wine' with them to make up for it.

When we got onto the wooden boat above the water I plopped down against a nearby wall to rub the bump on my head; Ralts had thrown me across the room of the house we were in while I was sleeping. Part of the reason why I was developing earlier-mentioned distaste for psychic pokémon...

"It's going to take two days before this boat reaches Dewford Island," I could hear the old man everyone kept calling 'Briney' saying that to Greg and Idiot before the boat began to move; I rolled to the side a little before managing to keep my balance as we started going out to sea, "I don't want to over-exert the engine or it might break down, leaving us stranded in the middle of the ocean."

"That's fine," Idiot nodded towards the man before he looked out at the sea with Greg; that probably meant I'd have a chance to catch up on lost sleep. How wonderful for me. Unfortunately, that thought was short-lived as I saw Mudkip approaching me (thankfully psycho-Ralts wasn't with her at the time).

"What do you want?"

"You should really change the bandages over your burn, Jack..."

"It doesn't hurt anymore, don't bother me about it," I would later question myself why I had to prove a point as I ripped off the bandages; the burn on my stomach hadn't quite healed yet so it stung a little when it was exposed to the air. Mudkip must have noticed because she frowned at me then, "Hey. Stop looking at me like that, I'm fine."

"You're also reckless," A sigh left Mudkip before she gently squirted the burn with water; I blinked before laying back and relaxing a little, it actually felt good when she wasn't trying to kill me with the water, "There. That should keep it from getting infected at least..."

"Thanks. Now if only there was some Oran Berry Juice on this thing..."

I would probably never get tired of seeing Mudkip fall over whenever I mentioned that drink. Really, I wouldn't, I laughed a little when she did before shaking my head, "Oh come on! I'm thirsty so of course it's the first thing that's going to come to mind!"

"You're some piece of work..."

"Hey, love me or leave me," I smirked again at the look on Mudkip's face, it was almost as if she took me seriously when I said that. She should have known better than that by now, honestly, "Now do you know where to get some wine or not?"

Mudkip must have stared at me for a full five seconds before she finally asked, "Wine?"

Oops, I guess I must have let that slip. It was time to bull shit an excuse; I wasn't about to start talking about drunken fantasies again, "Overheard it from the humans. That's what they call the juice when they make it stronger. Damn is that stuff ever good..."

"I'll take your word for it," And then, Mudkip walked away, leaving me to lie on the side of the cabin and take in the sun's rays. I was far enough away from the boat's edge so that the water didn't spray on me, leaving me to bask in the rays that fell upon me.

I had to admit... this was the way to live, and it was a true shame that it wouldn't last for too long. We had to go and rescue Alexa after all... maybe I could just ditch that mission and stay here for the rest of my days? It was relaxing after all, but then I realized I'd get tired of that and move on again. Everything had to be taken in bits and pieces after all, and if I didn't then I would get too bored too quickly.

And, that train of thought ended in the form of the most recently added tiny distaste in my life.

"Jack! Mudkip! Look ahead!" Ralts cried out for us before I sighed and got to my feet; he probably wouldn't shut up if I didn't go, or worse he would toss me off of the boat if I didn't go. As lazy as I was, I wasn't stupid. Well, at least not that stupid.

"What the bloody hell do you... what in the world is that?"

I couldn't help but blink at the craft that was ahead of us; I remember from Trunk's lab, it was called a submarine. Trunk used one to look at water pokémon but this one was a lot larger... it was really an odd thing to see, and then I heard the old man, Idiot and Greg yelling something before something else collided with the wood below; Mudkip, Ralts and I were sent flying. I yelped when this happened, right before viewing the ocean below for a few seconds. There was only one thought on my mind before we hit the water...

There had better be booze where I'm going.

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I'm a horrible person for leaving cliff hangers like that for you, huh? Too bad! This wasn't a great chapter for me to write in all honesty, but at least it's up, right? And hey, more will come soon! I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to get up by the way... I was stuck at home with the flu. I'm better now (or at least I hope I'm better, it might come back with a vengeance). And, Chapter 10 is going to be a smash, I can tell you that much. Ignore the pun. Read and Review, thank you to those who have read and reviewed up to this point, read those fics I keep telling you to read if you haven't already and I'll see you all next update!