Our four young trainers run as fast as their legs can carry them as they make their way to the docks. As Nina heads the pack she yells, “There! If we hurry we can catch the last ferry out.”
Ash wipes the sweat off his brow as he thinks, “What is she? Some kind of marathon runner?”
Just before the boat set sails, the group boards still gasping for breath. Brock leans against one of the rails and remarks, “It’s a good thing we made it or we would have had to wait until tomorrow to catch the next ferry.”
“It’s still going to be a while before we can make it to the Sea Foam islands. I guess I can bring Katsumi out already,” Nina says.
“Katsumi?” Ash asks.
A puff of smoke appears in the air and an off white feline Pokemon falls out of it. Still curious as to the type of Pokemon that just appeared, Ash pulls out his Pokedex.
“Analyzing,” Dexter says in its artificial voice. “Pokemon entry found. Katsumi: A somewhat rare Pokemon. It is a relative of Meowth but it lacks the ability to evolve.”
“Wow, what a cute Pokemon,” Misty adds. “Is it just a pet?”
“Hah! That’s exactly what I expected you to think,” Nina answers as she crosses her arms. “No, Katsumi here is my strongest Pokemon.” Katsumi closes its eyes and meows in agreement.
As the trip moves on and the air chills with night, Misty begins to tell everyone about the Sea Foam islands. “The Sea Foam islands are full of aquatic Pokemon. They say that the islands were once so close to the mainland that you could walk between the two without getting your knees wet. As the centuries passed the islands drifted away and have since been inhabited only by Pokemon and a few people. It is also said that some very rare bird Pokemon have nested somewhere on the island because of its remoteness.”
As Misty’s vast knowledge pours out, our remaining trainers doze off until the boat reaches the islands in the morning. Elsewhere, on top of the ship a feline Pokemon smiles fiendishly under the glare of the full moon.
In the early morning sun the boat docks at the Sea Foam islands giving our four trainers an early start. As they reach the cave, Misty begins to read aloud the guidelines on the sign outside the entrance. “Some of the most rare and terrifying water Pokemon you can find in the world.”
Brock begins to read as well and says, “Oh, no! We have to go in as pairs?”
Nina joins in as well saying, “Oh yeah. I forgot all about that.”
The two give each other a look of, “Just as we expected.” Brock walks over to Misty and says, “Misty,” as Nina walks up to Ash and says, “Ash.” Then the pair push Misty and Ash forward both saying, “We’d never dream of separating you two.”
Both Ash and Misty ask, “Me? Go in with you?”
“They said in unison,” Nina adds.
The gatekeeper tells Ash, “Don’t back out on me now. Don’t you want your girlfriend to hang all over you in terror?”
Ash closes his eyes and puts his hands in his pockets as he replies, “If she’s going to be grabbing, then I’m not going in.”
“I wouldn’t be caught dead with you anyway.”
“Oh, I’m so crushed,” Ash responds in his most sarcastic voice, and the two walk reluctantly in.
Nina thinks, “hm,” as she closes her eyes and says, “Brock, lend me five bucks.”
“What? You know I don’t carry that much cash with me.”
Giving Brock an infuriated look, Nina asks, “What did you say?”
Brock’s head hangs down as he pays the gatekeeper and says lowly, “just remember to pay me back this time.” Just a ways off a feline Pokemon is watching the group enter as he drinks from a large soda bottle.
As the two begin to catch up to Ash and Misty, Nina questions, “Hey, where are all the Pokemon? I thought this cave was supposed to be filled with them.”
Brock tells her, “I don’t know. Maybe they’ve never been scared off by a Pokemon trainer before.”
Looking around at all the water Pokemon, Misty says to herself, “Its an aquatic Pokemon paradise.” Then she says out loud, “Oh, no! I forgot to bring extra Pokeballs!”
Ash looks away and smiles to himself, but his joy quickly ends as he sees how deeply hurt Misty really is. He thinks to himself, “Jeez, I should kick myself for this but,” and turns to Misty and tells her, “If you need Pokeballs then you can have a few of mine.”
Looking at Ash in disbelief, Misty finally responds, “Well, that’s downright nice of you Ash.”
Just as the pair catch up to Ash and Misty, Nina looks keenly to her left as an awakened Cloyster emerges in a angry rage. “Look out!” she yells as she grabs Brock’s shirt, and throws him overhead. Brock plunges right into the Cloyster’s water gun attack, scaring it off.
“What... What have I done to deserve this?” Brock says in a shaken up tone as he lies soaked on the ground.
Nina pulls him up and tells him in a seductive voice, “Wow Brock, you saved my life.”
The four go deeper and deeper into the cave and come across an odd sight. A stand is set up right in the side of a wall. As they arrive at the stand they notice its a potion stand run by two strange vendors.
“Welcome. Won’t you try some of our heal potion?” the first vendor asks.
Ash replies, “That’s all right. We don’t expect to be in here too long.”
“Oh, but you’ll need it. I’d say you’re only about half way through the tunnel and it’s a very long trip. And did we mention it’s free?” the second vendor adds on.
“Free?” Ash asks.
“Really?” Nina asks as well.
“Sure. Just put you Pokemon on this table and we’ll have it healed in no time,” the first vendor tells them.
Ash puts Pikachu on the table and Nina does the same with Katsumi. Both vendors bring out identical bottles and push the triggers for the nozzles. Instead of liquid spray, black smoke starts to billow out and quickly fills the entire area. In the midst of all the confusion the vendors take a Pokemon off the table and run off farther into the cave. Brock pulls out a Pokeball and yells, “Go, Zubat! Blow the smoke away with whirlwind!”
As Ash coughs away he thinks, “Hey! That’s my line!”
The two vendors run away with their prize and throw off their disguises. Just a little farther away, Meowth is getting a row boat ready to leave through the back exit. As Jesse and James jump into the boat ready to leave, the others have finally cleared out all of the remaining smoke.
“Hey, Pikachu’s still sitting here on the table,” Ash notes.
