Chapter 14: Cool fight club

"This is getting out of hand."

-"Rem- RAID!" As the chubby fish was yanked out of the water for the fifth time this morning, Jessie wonders just how things got this bad.

All around were hooks, bait, and dudes in hip-waders. The shallows were packed, the pier was crowded, and every boat within 10 miles were angling for a certain Tentacool.

"Jeez, didn't think I would've made this big a name for myself. I mean, sure I won a few battles, but who would believe those guys would start a rumor about me?"

*splash* -"Remoraid."

"Fair, seamen are a suspicious lot. But still, what kind of name is The Great Uncatchable Tentalossus? I can't help but believe that if any of these guys did catch me, they'd be nothing but disappointed!"

-"Rem Rem..." *yank*

"And up they go again. You'd think they have a hollow leg or eight soon... what level is Loafy again? Hey Loafy, how strong are you?"

*splash* -"Rema- rem."

"That high?! Ah, hold on. I recognize that shabby rod, the kid came back. Be back in a minute."

-"Rem- RAID!"

Jessie yanks twice on the old line and is lifted up to the surface. Sure enough, the kid who has visited nearly every day for weeks stares down from his spot on the end of the pier.

-"Tenty! You haven't been caught yet!"

"Not for lack of trying on these guys' part. Know anything about what's going on?"

-"I bet you were surprised to see all these people out here, huh? I let them know how great you were, Tenty! But I think somebody misheard me and changed your name by accident."

"Ah, that explains it. Way to go, kid, you made one little gluttonous fishy very happy."

-"So are you gonna do it? Are you gonna beat them all?"

"You crazy, kid? I can't take on all these guys! Especially not one after another like this!"

-"You're really raring to go! Hey everybody! Tenty here is taking on all challengers!"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOI-"

With a great roar, the fishermen crowd around and form a makeshift battling ring with their boats. A tough looking guy with tattoos lobs the first pokeball. With a flash, a Corsola appears!

"Great... thanks a lot, kid."

-"Go get em, Tenty!"

The fight starts out fierce with Corsola shooting spikes out in all directions. Tentacool has to leap out of the water to avoid getting struck right from the get go.

-"There!" *smack*

Darkness all around... But Jessie refused to be contained! He reappears out of the shattered ball, raging and splashing around in the wake.

"The hell?! Who threw that ball?"

The sailors on board the nearby ships weren't having it either, jeering and scowling at the rude ass who tried to catch a pokemon someone else was battling. They back down, but it's clear to see that several others are hiding more pokeballs behind their backs.
Back in the fight, Tentacool takes a cue from nature and wraps up Corsola with it's tentacles. While it lacks teeth to do it in like a certain toxic starfish would, it is able to use Acid to begin melting away at it's rocky armor.

The trainer recalls his pokemon before the battle can get too nasty. But the fishermen haven't given up just yet! Before even giving him a chance to breathe, out comes a muscly looking Poliwhirl!

"Don't suppose you'd be willing to throw me a berry? Be like Goku? No? Alright, guess I'll just pull a Freeza."

Not wanting to give the newcomer a chance, Tentacool launches an attack from below before they even get off the ship! The Poliwhirl dodges in time, but their trainer goes overboard dodging the spray!

"Muahaha! Sorry, I can't afford to fight fair when it's 30 against 1!" Launching a Wrap/Poison Sting combo at the trainerless pokemon brings it down before the fisher could recover enough to issue orders.

-"Yay! Go Tenty!" A pair of trainers argue over who goes next when a third one steals the spot and throws in their pokemon. This time it's a... Hitmonchan?

Everyone kinda just stands around while that trainer recovers their drowning pokemon.

'Okay, this isn't gonna end anytime soon. Gotta find a way out somehow.' Looking around, it's clear that none of these guys plan to let him off the hook. They've gotten nets dipped into the water and the boats are lined up bow to stern. If that wasn't bad enough, a good number of them are itching to start chucking pokeballs at any moment, regardless of what the others think.

'No way out and certain capture if I stay. Then there's only one thing I can do at a moment like this.'

The battles rage on with Jessie taking hit after hit. A few of the trainers even try chucking out huge pokemon! He tries luring them into the nets with some success, but only manages to have the trainers recall their trapped pokemon before the nets or boats can be broken. Until finally-

-"Tentacool!"

"Yes! You're just who I was hoping for!"

-"Tenta?"

Jessie starts swimming round the jellyfish while dodging it's attacks. Even if they're not very effective, every hit counts when you're running on fumes. Dipping down low, he uses Mud Slap directly upwards, the enemy dodging, but obscuring the water somewhat.

"Yeet!"

-"Cool?!"

A Tentacool bursts out of the water and a dozen pokeballs fly!

-"What the heck are ya doing to my pokemon ya thieves?!" The battling trainer starts shouting and pushing people over trying to get to his pokemon. Of course the rowdy bunch can't sit still like civilized people and a brawl begins!

'Heh, sorry guy, but I'm tired of being the only one with something on the line... Man, I really wish that one-liner made sense in this context.' Slipping away through a slim opening between two boats, he slinks off to find a spot to rest and think of better witty comebacks.

Jessie Cooledge has fled the battle!