Chapter 31, everybody! In which we kick back, relax, and enjoy the beach….

ChangelingRin, thanks for the review! Certainly! Since Tentacool are giant jellyfish, basically, and are swarming, we're talking about severe stings and poisoning at best and an angry rampaging Gyarados at worst, so they'd be wanting to confiscate a Pokémon caught in the area for a health and temperament check. Now, the fact that Lenny didn't run into any on his way in is definitely worth a mention, although we can argue that the rangers had just cleaned up that area. Yes—rewatching that part of the anime, it bugged me that everything was just 'yeah, cool' and then moving on. I think the fic Traveler is what inspired me to take a bit more time out to examine the ramifications of actually surviving an event like that and let everyone decompress (literally, if we take water pressure into account). Thank you, I shall!

Jakeroo123, thanks for the review! Ah, I see. That still seems strange that they keep it all in the family—I wrote up a bit on the how and why of their appearance and names for worldbuilding purposes, but I haven't figured out a way to mention that yet here. Yes, I think they've heard that one before….The games had a few hit and miss moments as well, as apparently if you examine a Mimikyu at one point, it says "Mi curse you," so….I suppose so—it'd be like learning a foreign language: why bother with anything but a universal language that works for you if you're not going to use it in an everyday setting? It was—I think I watched that episode on a rented VHS tape ages ago, so that's about all I remember about Port Vista; the rest is just from what I've read elsewhere. Indeed.

Yami-chan and Unrealistic, thanks for the review! Possibly—when all hope seems lost, Ash curses in Pokémon, throwing the attacking Pokémon off long enough for someone, probably Darkrai, to tackle them. XD Maybe—just not by the group. When I was writing it all up, it didn't make much sense for them to be there, since the two main things that happen there are being pals with Team Rocket temporarily and seeing the Pokémon interact with each other, both of which we've already seen thus far. Haha, yes—although we have to remember the sports stadiums in Unova….I am too—just a moment of punch-clock-villainy: "Oh hey, you come here too?" :D

Arkisane, thanks for the review! Yup—just a tad insulting. XD

IceDragonGirl36, thanks for the review! Yes, he does, but he'll deny it until the very end. :)

Thanks for the review, guest! Probably….

InkyTheInk, thanks for the review! Yes—I think that's one of the most well-known stories from that season. What two? Possibly—I figured leaving it up to the viewer to decide was the best approach. ;)

Pokémon © Game Freak; Nintendo

And now, for something completely different:

A small craft advisory has been issued for the following areas: Hoenn Routes 124, 125, 126, and 127. The small craft advisory will be repealed as soon as Kyogre goes back to sleep and stops stirring up the Pokémon.

Darkrai was gone the next morning, but Ash wasn't too miffed at that just yet. He was talking to Ash again, at least, and that was a start, he supposed.

Although he decided he'd probably have a new problem soon enough, he reflected when he went to the breakfast buffet and only saw Brock around.

"Where's Misty?" Ash asked, coming over with a plate full of food.

"Helping out with the Tentacool," Brock said, after waiting for Ash's moment of silence. "She said she wanted to get a head-start."

"Already?"

"It is almost lunchtime."

Ash conceded that and focused on eating for the next handful of minutes.

"Now what?" he finally asked after he came up for air. "I have no idea where Port Vista is compared to the rest of Kanto."

"I think we're somewhere between Vermillion and Fuchsia," Brock said, indicating a map mounted on the wall. "We're not too far off course."

Ash stared at the map. "I guess I could challenge the Fuchsia City Gym," he decided. "Fuchsia has a gym, right?"

Brock nodded. "It specializes in Poison typing, and its leader is Koga the ninja."

"A ninja gym?"

"I didn't get it either."

"But that's so cool!"

"Uh-huh."

"I think Patches is the only one who can handle Poison-types well," Ash said, thinking. "So we'll have to get everyone up a few levels before that—"

"Ash, Ash—slow down," Brock counseled, waving a hand in his face. "I don't know about you, but I plan to take a few days off at least."

Ash was aghast at that. "What? Why?"

"Because we just had what we in the business like to call a near-death experience," Brock said, leaning back in his chair. "It's the sort of thing people have to come to terms with, and it's better to do that now instead of in the heat of something dire. But you are going to have to come to terms with it instead of dodging it like Misty's doing right now."

"Uh…huh," Ash noised, looking at Pikachu before returning his attention to Brock. "And how are you coping with it?"

"For starters? Spending a good chunk of last night and this morning sending thank-yous skyward. Next I plan to visit a library and then, I don't know, make a sand castle and have some ice cream. Little things."

Ash sighed and tried very hard not to sulk.

"Ash, calm down," Brock advised. "The League Conference isn't until this time next year—you have plenty of time to stop and smell the Roselia."

"Fine," Ash noised. "But if training helps me cope, that's all right, right?"

"I suppose—I've heard of studies on how being around Pokémon is therapeutic." At that, Brock's expression darkened. "Speaking of…that black Pokémon from yesterday."

Ash stared at him before glancing around. Satisfied no one was paying attention, he turned back to Brock. "You mean Darkrai?"

"Darkrai," Brock repeated, nodding slightly. "That's not a Kantoan Pokémon."

"I think he said he was from Sinnoh."

"Uh-huh."

Ash frowned slightly, thinking he could guess where Brock was going with this. "Darkrai's not a bad Pokémon, Brock."

"I'm sure," Brock said, checking his watch before standing up. "I think I'll go look for that library now. See you tonight, Ash."

"Bye," Ash noised, waving.

When he was gone, Ash turned to Pikachu.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"Pika," Pikachu noised, shrugging.

Ash frowned, digesting the previous conversation.

And then what they had just discussed hit him with its full weight.

"Holy Shiftry," Ash muttered. "We really did nearly die."

"Pika."

"I mean, that's pretty serious stuff."

"Pika."

"Maybe we should take a little break—I mean, you know, to rest up."

"Pika."

"There's only one problem, as far as I can see."

"Pika?"

"We'll have to go to Hoenn in order to stop and smell the Roselia—and I don't feel like getting on a ship anytime soon."

"Pika."

Ash decided after some consideration to take a leaf out of Brock's book. Therefore, after breakfast, he was out on the beach, reclining in one of the beach chairs with his hat over his eyes and Pikachu in his lap.

It lasted about five minutes.

"Aw, man, I'm bored," Ash moaned, sitting up and dislodging a protesting Pikachu. "I've got to do something besides sit around—I wonder if the rangers would mind us catching a beach Pokémon or two."

"Pika," Pikachu noised.

"Yeah, probably….Come on—let's go for a walk."

And with that, Ash struck off along the beach, heading away from the buildings and to more sedate locales. He had never really been one for crowds and had never been a social Butterfree—which kind of sucked, now that he thought about it. But he had always had more fun running around in the fields with Darkrai and the other Pokémon instead of trying to ignore Gary's teasing in a group of people.

"You think I ought to try to be more sociable?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"Pika?" Pikachu queried, looking up at him.

"I don't know either—hey look! A battle!"

Ash picked up the pace in time to catch the end of a match between two tuber-kids—the little girl's Rattata was knocked out by the boy's….

Ash checked his Pokédex, which came up empty. Did it get damaged in the water or what?

"Hey," Ash called, walking up as the girl gave the boy his winnings. "What kind of Pokémon is that?"

"This is an Azurill," the boy said happily. "Mom got him for me when we went to Hoenn last year."

Okay, that explained it. "I caught the last bit of that battle—that was so cool," Ash complimented, crouching down to look at the Azurill better. "Your Rattata was good too," Ash mentioned to the girl.

"Yeah, but we need to practice more," she said.

"I'm gonna be a trainer someday!" the boy boasted.

Ash perked up at that. "Really? Well, I'm a trainer—let's have a battle!"

"Okay. Mom! I'm gonna battle again!" the kid yelled, projecting at a lady sitting in a chair under an umbrella and reading a book.

She glanced up over her sunglasses and under her sun hat, spotted Ash, and put a bookmark in her book. "Fine dear," she said. "But when I say it's over, you both quit." At that, she glared levelly at Ash. "Are we clear?"

"Yeah Mom."

"Sure," Ash said demurely, standing—he could get the drift the mom was sending: don't kill my son's Pokémon.

Well, that nixed Lenny and Frenzy—and probably Pikachu, since it looked like a water type. And probably Patches, since poisoning the Azurill probably wasn't a good thing. Let's see…that left Charmander—not a good choice here—and…aha.

"Go, Vee!" Ash called, sending the Eevee out. Vee landed with an excited call and ran in a circle before facing the Azurill squarely. At least his Pokémon weren't bothered by the S.S. Anne adventure—at least, that was what the nurse had said.

"All right Vee," Ash said, calculating—be aware of his surroundings, right? "Use Sand Attack!"

Vee's ears twitched as he glanced around, got the drift, and ran forward, spinning around at the last second to send a tailful of sand at the Azurill's face.

"Bouncy! Use Splash!" the boy yelled.

The Azurill did so—and dodged the Sand Attack completely.

Ash couldn't help but stare for a moment.

"Why didn't I think of that with Lenny?" Ash asked finally.

The boy hastened to follow up on this opening. "Bouncy! Slam!"

Ash snapped himself out of it. "Vee! Quick Attack!"

Vee dodged, spun and rammed into the Azurill.

"Water Gun!"

"Quick Attack!"

"Use Bubble!"

That wouldn't be as easy to dodge. "Swift! Now!"

Vee spat out stars, meeting the bubbles and detonating them.

"Now! Quick Attack!" Ash yelled.

Vee ran through the smokescreen and collided with the Azurill, sending it bouncing away.

"Bouncy!" the boy yelped, running over to check on the Azurill.

"All right, that's enough," the mom said. She nodded at Ash and beckoned him over. "You won."

Ash came over and accepted the five dollars she pulled out of her purse.

"Aw, Mom," the boy moaned, cradling the Azurill. "We could have beaten him!"

"Maybe when you can gauge Pokémon strength better," she said, closing her purse.

Ash glanced at the money. It really was a lot for such a simple match….

He held the five up in front of the two kids. "Who wants ice cream?"

That may very well have been what Darkrai liked to call a dumb question.