Pokémon Type: Water

Shipping: ScepterShipping

One-Shot 5: Inter-Scept-ed

Ash couldn't believe his luck, rather the luck turned against him. His Whirl Cup bid ended with his loss to Misty and her rather incompetent Psyduck. Ash was with Nurse Joy to have his two Pokémon checked out as Pikachu watched from his favorite perch. "Ash, your Totodile and Kingler are back to full health," Joy informed. Ash's Water Pokémon enjoyed the news.

"That's great, Nurse Joy," he praised before kneeling to see his two Pokémon. "You two were great out there. I know we didn't win but we did our best." Totodile jumped for joy from the news while Kingler waived his giant claw. "By the way, Brock made some special Pokémon food for your efforts." He poured the food in bowls. Totodile wasted little time and devoured his food while Kingler grabbed claw-fulls. His Pokémon may be happy but Ash felt different. When he battled the Water Pokémon trainer/traveling companion Misty, he let his guard down after he used Kingler to beat Misty's Poliwhirl and her Psyduck entered the field despite wanting Corsola. Kingler's Vice Grip on the Duck Pokémon worked against him when Misty ordered Confusion and knocked Kinger and Ash out. Totodile and Kingler finished their meal before Ash called them back to their Pokéballs.

"I'm sorry about your defeat to your friend."

"It's no big deal, Nurse Joy. Besides, we got bigger goals in mind."

"Well, that's good. Hopefully, you'll learn from this setback." Ash nodded before he and Pikachu walked off. The journey around the coliseum which he lost in, all Ash could do was reflect the defeat. Ash felt humiliated from losing to Psyduck of all Pokémon. He wasn't afraid to tell Pikachu about it.

"Sorry about seeing that with Brock and Togepi."

("You got overconfident,") Pikachu clarified. ("It happens to about any trainer when Psyduck shows up.") Ash may not understand Pokémon but he felt that Pikachu told him that he wasn't alone.

"I guess you're right, now that I think about Jessie's former Lickitung at the Princess Festival.

("Ugh… Don't remind me.") Ash laughed to Pikachu's facial disgust.

"Sorry, buddy. I suppose seeing how Jessie nearly won the doll set's not a good reminder. Besides, now that our Cup run's done, we can focus on getting those last badges and enter the Johto League." Pikachu agreed, willing to let the Whirl Cup be the last thing on their minds. Without warning, screams came down the hallway.

"Stop, thieves!" shouted an Officer Jenny. Stopping, Ash and Pikachu wondered the occasion.

"I don't like the sound of that." That's when Team Rocket emerged with three officers tailing. As Ash and Pikachu neared the sound, they spotted the evil trio with James holding something in his hand. "Of course, they'd ruin a good time." That's when Ash saw the item held. It was the scepter held by Maya, the Sea Priestess and overseer of the Whirl Cup.

"This is our best heist, yet!" cheered Jessie. "One pricy scepter, and it's ours!" Team Rocket weren't aware they're in the path of the one trainer they despise and the one Pokémon they had their eyes on since Ash's first day. Ash realized the scheme.

"They got the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire!" He began to plot, ready to take action. "Since I'm no longer in the Whirl Cup, all bets are off the table. Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Pikachu leaped down from Ash before dashing at James. Team Rocket turned to find Pikachu at the last second as the Electric Mouse Pokémon smashed James in the leg, causing him to trip and fumble the scepter. Ash raced after Pikachu and timed his reach with precision. He caught the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire and rolled to a stop as Pikachu returned.

"The twerp!" Ash stood and waived the scepter to Jessie.

"You dropped something, Team Rocket..." Jessie lunged for the scepter.

"That belongs to me! Give it back!" Hearing, Ash grinned.

"Sure thing!" Ash ducked the lunge before clubbing the scepter to Jessie's gut. She doubled over as the police arrived. Meowth didn't appreciate Ash's strike.

"Hey, you're not allowed to hit a trainer, twerp!" he snarled.

"Hold on… you break the law on a daily basis and you want to harp on me for something you do? I should say that I'm not a fan of hypocrites." He released Kingler from his Pokéball.

"I'll show you how I feel about dat!" Unbeknown to Meowth, Kingler appeared behind Ash.

"Use Crabhammer!" Kingler crushed Meowth with a heavy smash of its giant pincer. The police arrived to see Ash finish Team Rocket in his own fashion as Jessie and James returned.

"You will give me that scepter!" ordered Jessie.

"No, you'll get this! Kingler, use Hyper Beam! And Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Kingler fired Hyper Beam and Pikachu emitted his Thunderbolt. The attacks struck and blasted the trio. A massive explosion ruptured beneath them, sending Team Rocket to the sky.

"How dare he use that scepter as a weapon!" complained Jessie. "He should be arrested for that!"

"Perhaps, but now I understand what we put him through everyday," James reasoned. "We should levy from attacking him, if only to stave from Pikachu's Thunderbolt and whatever else the twerp has."

"No, we're after Pikachu until we get Pikachu to the boss!"

"Face it, Jessie. He could do worse if we chase Pikachu next week," Meowth tried to reason. "And after what da twerp said, I wouldn't be surprised if he used da laws against us, like boil us over lava."

"Oh… you call yourselves Team Rocket, you cowards?!" They flew to the wayside, no longer a threat to the Whirl Cup.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they shouted in unison. Ash watched Team Rocket leave.

"See ya!" he smiled. Officer Jenny reached the trainer with the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire in hand.

"Ash!" she called. Turning, Ash wondered if he be arrested for attacking Team Rocket by himself.

"Officer Jenny!" Finding the scepter safe, Jenny sighed in relief.

"You got the Sea Spirit back from those thieves! Thank goodness!" Ash handed the scepter to Jenny. "We can't continue the Whirl Cup without this. Priestess Maya will be glad to have it back in her possession."

"Hey, anything to help out." Jenny chose to add another item for Ash.

"Let's head back to Maya's room. I'm sure she'd want to know who retrieved the Sea Spirit after it was taken." With escort and recalling Kingler back to its Pokéball, Ash followed Jenny to see Maya. Meanwhile, around the coliseum, Brock and Togepi wondered why there wasn't any action down on the floor. Misty soon emerged to find the Pokémon Breeder and her baby Pokémon.

"Brock?" she called. Brock and Togepi turned to find Misty alone. Togepi dashed to Misty's arms. "You enjoying yourself?" Togepi shrilled in favor.

"Where's Ash?" asked Brock.

"He said that he went to see Nurse Joy to make sure Kingler and Totodile were okay. He should be back here by now."

"Same could be said for the action. The two trainers are getting a little anxious to start their battle." As they pondered, the speakers around the coliseum sounded.

"Ladies and gentlemen," spoke the announcer. "We apologize for the delay. The Sea Priestess Maya will join us after she's refreshed." Misty and Brock decided to go along with the announcement.

"Even a priestess can't watch every battle without rest." They didn't know the real occasion. Togepi looked around and saw a young mother playing with a baby with her finger, waiving it back and forth. Acting like the young mother, Togepi waived its stubby arms in the same fashion. Entering Maya's chamber, Ash and Jenny met with the priestess who seemed distraught.

"Priestess Maya?" called Jenny. Maya turned to find her scepter in Jenny's hands.

"The Great Sea Spirit Sapphire!" she recognized. "You got it back!" She raced to retrieve the scepter and sigh in relief. "Thank you, Officer Jenny." The good officer shook her head to decline the praise.

"Don't thank me. Ash was the one who got the Sea Spirit back from Team Rocket." Meeting with Ash brought a glimpse back to her.

"Yes, one of the competitors… Ash, thank you for bringing back the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire to me." Ash scoffed to the praise, not making a big deal out of the occasion.

"No problem," he brushed off. Maya giggled to the reply. That's when she lost her smile. Ash and Pikachu noticed her sudden sadness. "Okay… Maybe a bigger problem than we thought."

("What's wrong, priestess?") wondered Pikachu.

"I didn't know this was what Officer Jenny warned me about," she admitted. "She advised that I be careful with the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire, that thieves would try to take it. I felt protected with the security around me and believed I had nothing to fear. To have those three to bypass security and take the Sea Spirit without concern was my biggest regret. If I can't keep guard of the Sea Spirit, I don't deserve it. I can't see myself as the Sea Priestess anymore with what happened. I let the Sea Spirit fall into the wrong hands, it's my fault!" Ash came to Maya and placed a hand on her shoulder while tears began to shed from her eyes.

"Everything's okay, now," he tried to comfort. Maya looked up to Ash. "Listen, if you let yourself get wrapped up because of a mistake, there's no way you can live up to what everyone expects from you. There's a reason you've been given the Great Sea Spirit Sapphire in the first place. You're the one who can give the people and the Water Pokémon the peace expected and besides, you wouldn't be alone. I have friends who can stand up to Team Rocket or another Pokémon trainer who would show little to no care about the Pokémon we walk or swim with." Maya felt smitten, humbled to Ash's words of encouragement as Misty, Brock and Togepi magically appeared out of thin air before landing on their backsides.

"Ouch!" yelped Misty.

"That hurt!" grimaced Brock. Maya knelt and placed her hand on Ash's free shoulder.

"Ash, thank you," she complimented. "I'm sorry for the doubts. I guess I felt lost because I let the Sea Spirit get stolen." Hearing his name, Brock and Misty turned to see Ash and Maya together. "I will crown the Whirl Cup champion but you have earned a reward, not for returning the Sea Spirit to me… but restoring the purpose of my duties." She leaned to Ash's face and connected lips with his. Misty and Brock gawked to the sight of Ash receiving some love and blessing from the Sea Priestess.

"No!" cried Brock. "Not Ash! Not him!" Misty growled to seeing the kiss but Togepi cheered for Ash.

"Why that little boy..." she steamed. Removing her lips, she offered a prayer.

"May this young soul be protected from the evils of this world for as long as he lives," she muttered. Maya stood as Jenny came over to offer her reward.

"Ash, whatever you did to Team Rocket, I'd happily grant," she said. "And besides, I think you should be admired by justice." That's when Jenny applied a kiss of her own to his cheek. Misty and Brock's jaws would smash the floor if not the skin and bones it's attached to.

"The priestess and the officer?" the breeder cried. "It's not fair! Why does he get it… But I can't?!" Maya nodded to Jenny's little offer, ready to continue the competition.

"Let's resume the Whirl Cup," she requested. "A champion needs to be decided." As Maya led the way, Misty confronted Ash.

"Okay, you lucky..." she fidgeted. "What did you do to have her give you her love?!" Ash folded his arms before giving an explanation.

"Blame Team Rocket for nearly ruining your chances," he answered. "They snagged the scepter and I retrieved it. Also, I let out a little frustration for their meddling." Misty groaned to his details.

"Only they would do something that stupid. So I guess you followed them instead of returning to the rest of us?"

"They ran in the same direction I was heading back to." To Misty, it was a coincidence that Ash and Pikachu ran into Team Rocket.

"Right place… right time." Without another word, Misty walked away from the Pallet Town trainer. All Ash could do was shrug, not knowing her problem.

"What was that all about?" Not even the Pokémon knew. To Ash, he received a priestess' blessing. Maya would like to have him as a guardian for herself. It was a whirl of a day.

END of WATER
Next up: FIRE