Pokémon ABC - Episode 10

Episode 10: Ferry to CrossRoads Island

By 'Whisper Shadowhunter'/ Kitty Ocean
© Nintendo (their characters) and Kitty Ocean (my characters)

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"Take good care of yourself."

"Sure George." Chris said.

It was 9.50 a.m. in the morning. While Chris and Aemilia said goodbye to their last friends, Gary waited inpatient by his car. Mr. Cram hugged Chris and Aemilia for the last time and his Eevee licked them both. Chris and Aemilia released their friend and hugged Mayla. After that, they stepped back and waved to their friends. They jumped into the car and Gary started the engine.

"All right, let's go home." He said and his girls started to sing a yell again.

"Please." Chris said. "Don't tell me they are going to stay that way all the journey. I won't survive that."

Gary smiled to Chris. He drove the car into the ferry. Within minutes the hatch closed and everybody stepped out of the car.

"Now there was a long ride." Aemilia said sarcastically. She looked to Chris. "And what shall we do now?"

"We'll wait." Chris said. "We'll reach CrossRoads Island within 3 hours." They walked on a stair to the deck. When they reached it, they waved to all their friends. "Goodbye Nurse Joy! Thanks for your help!"

"It was a pleasure to help you!" Nurse Joy replied smiling and waving.

"We hope to see you again soon!" Officer Jenny shouted and they ordered all the policemen of Raindrop Island: "A salute for Chrissy and Aemilia!"

Chris smiled, seeing a salute just for her and Aemilia. I'll really miss you guys, she thought. She looked around. She saw all her friends: Mr. Cram, Mayla, Jenny and Joy… but where is Blade, she thought. She knew that though he was a real pain in the bud, but she sure was going to miss him. His arrogance was even bigger than that from Gary.

The ferry blew his horn with great power and all had to cover their ears because of the noise.

"No need to make me deaf!" Chris said when the horn stopped horning.

Aemilia laughed. She felt the boat was starting to move. Aemilia looked aside. She saw Gary and his girls who were waving. To who, she thought. And at the other side she saw Chris in her new outfit she got from Mr. Cram. You just look like my wife when she was your age, he said. You are sure you are not related to her? Aemilia thought it was weird. She had never seen Mr. Cram's wife and wondered where she was. Maybe I'll see her someday, she thought. That poor man must really miss his wife, but why isn't she returning?

Chris looked in the water. Though she couldn't see it clearly, she could see herself a bit. She had always seen Mr. Cram's wife on pictures, but he said she really looked like her. Did she ever wear this dress and jacket, Chris thought. She felt sorry for the old man, being alone with his Eevee.

"Look Chris!" Gary yelled and pointed at Tear Island. "They are greeting you!"

Chris looked at the island and saw a fountain of leafs, water, fire and electricity. I'm going to miss you too, she thought.



They watched at the island until they came out of sight. After that, they walked inside. They saw a snooker table.

"Ha!" Gary said arrogant and took a cue. "Now here is something I'm better than you in!"

Chris took her own cue and said: "Okay, I'll take the challenge. What's at stake?"

"Immortal honour." Gary said.

"Again?" Chris said. "I've already got 13 times immortal honour. I've got enough of it. Pick something else."

Aemilia came between. "How about paying lunch?" Gary and Chris shook their heads. "And what about losing your immortal honour?"

"Mm." Gary said. "That's something new. It's 9 against 13. The other gets the immortal honour of the other." Chris agreed. "Let's play Poké Ball 4 Charmeleon."

"But we don't have a Charmeleon." Aemilia said. Chris giggled.

"No, not a real Charmeleon. It's a game Gary and I made up when we were young." Chris said smiling. "The goal is to hit a ball while you cross 2 other balls. You need 4 balls to play it." She took 4 balls. "I haven't practised for years, but let's play. Who starts?"

Gary looked around him. "Euh, what about grass, water, fire?" Chris took 3 of her Poké Balls.

"I've got Bulbasaur, Wartortle and Charizard. You still know the rules? Grass wins from water, water from fire and fire from grass."

Gary looked at the 3 Poké Balls. They all looked the same, but the Pokémon within were totally different. He took them all in his hand, feeling them even smelled at them. After a while he took a Poké Ball. Chris did the same ritual and chose also a Poké Ball.

"I've really got to mark them." She said and took the last Poké Ball. "Poké Ball, go!"

"Bulbasaur!"

"Well, we know it's between fire and water." Chris said and tossed her Poké Ball away and Gary did the same. "You've won!" She said while she looked at the Charizard who came out of her Poké Ball. "You all can stay watching if you want, but you can go back too." She said to her Pokémon.

But the Pokémon decided to stay and Gary tossed the 4 snooker balls at the table. He looked at the green, yellow, red and blue balls while they stopped. "Okay." He said and looked again. "Yellow hits blue while hitting the left side."

Gary stood ready for action, but suddenly the girls started to sing.

"Go Gary go!
Your score will be high and her score will be low!"

Gary suddenly came out of his concentration and Chris and Aemilia giggled. Aemilia put her finger on her lips, telling the 6 girls they had to be silent. Gary started to concentrate again. He had to focus. The first ball could decide the whole game. I'm like a Rattata, I can use Focus energy, he thought.

Just play, Chris thought inpatient, it's just a little game. And finally he shot and the yellow ball hit the left side. With a great spin he passed the red and green ball and hit the blue one. Chris clapped a bit.

"Nice one." She complemented. "But watch this: red hits green while hitting the north and east."

"I've got to see that!" Gary said vain. "That's impossible."

"Well, I used to call this the Dratini roll." She concentrated and moved some pass until she had the right position. She hit the red ball and it started rolling.

"Yes! Way to go Chris!" Aemilia yelled.

"Bulbasaur! Bulbasaur!"

"Thank you, thank you!" Chris said and bowed to her own fan club. "Well Gary, what are you going to do now?"

Gary looked at the game. "You made it easy for me." He said. "I'll do the Bellsprout wrinkle."

Aemilia turned to Chris. "What's the Bellsprout wrinkle?" She asked curious.

"It's the easiest way to hit a ball: directly. He's going to hit the yellow ball with the red one in a direct line."

"Gary, Gary is the best!
A defeat is what gets the rest!"

"Now, now girls." He said. "Thank you for the cheering. Your move Chrissy."

Chris walked slowly around the table and looked at the balls. "This is a though one Gary. I guess I'll use the Articuno wave."

"You're nuts. You made it up when you was 9 and you never succeed in making that move." Gary said.

"It has to work someday." She said annoyed and walked to the green ball. "Green hits red while hitting west and north."

Gary looked at the table and wondered if she was right. It had to work someday.

"War, war." Wartortle said disappointed.

"I told you it wouldn't work." Gary said proudly. "Green hits yellow while hitting the left side."

"The Butterfree flight." Chris said surprised.

"You remembered." Gary said wondered. "It was the one Gramps made up."

"Of course I remember all the moves." Chris said irritated. "Because we hadn't play for 4 years doesn't mean I don't know anything anymore."

Gary became ready to shoot. His fans stood frozen, waiting until he would hit the ball. He smiled arrogant to Chris. "Be prepared to be beaten." He said and hit the ball.

Suddenly, the ferry started to shake and Gary flew over the table. The girls bumped against Aemilia and Chris who fell on the grass and water Pokémon.

"What was that?" Aemilia shouted and looked to everybody.

But before anyone could react, the ferry shook again and all fell again. When the ferry found his balance again they stood up and ran outside. Chris returned Charizard who couldn't go through the door. She also returned the other Pokémon. After that she followed the rest to the deck. She looked around, seeing people and a calm sea. She looked above her; maybe it was Team Rocket. But it wasn't them either. It seemed like nothing had happened. There was a calm sea.

But the sea began to move and underneath the clear surface a dark shade began to reveal itself.

"Look, over there!" Aemilia shouted and pointed at the sea.

The others came looking, but the shade had vanished. "There is nothing there." Gary said.

"There was!" Aemilia yelled. "And it was big!"

"We have to look." Chris decided. "Gary, ask the captain if he could stop the ferry and Aemilia and I'll dive."

"You are crazy!" Gary yelled. "You know there is a Gyarados down there don't you?"

Chris shook frightened her head. "No, the Gyarados is here!"

They looked upon the large roaring Gyarados. Why didn't I catch it when I had the chance, Chris thought. She dove away from the attacking Pokémon. She looked at Aemilia who got the hint. She turned into a Cloyster and Chris released Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur!"

"Bulbasaur, Vine whip!" Chris yelled.

"Bulba, Bulba!" The grass Pokémon reacted and started to attack the huge Gyarados. But the small vines of Bulbasaur didn't affect large Gyarados, but only annoyed it.

Aemilia used an ice-beam and the Gyarados started to get frozen. But this Pokémon was very angry and dived to Aemilia. She closed her shell, protecting herself. The Gyarados took the shell in its mouth and started to bite on it, hoping it would break. It used all its force, but it didn't affected Aemilia.

"Bulbasaur, Razor leaf!"

The little Pokémon did what his trainer ordered him. The leaves hurt the Gyarados and let Aemilia go. With great impact she hit the deck, but she seemed all right. Bulbasaur used his vine whip again and started to really injure the Gyarados.

Aemilia opened her shell again and used her ice-beam again. This time, the Gyarados got really frozen and soon, the huge Pokémon was frozen. All sighed. Aemilia turned into a human again.

"Pff." Gary sighed. "That was a close call."

Chris ran to Aemilia. "You are all right?" She asked concerned and her friend nodded.

"We have our own special way to get ourselves into trouble you know?" She said smiling.

The captain came to the back of the deck and looked at the large frozen Gyarados. "You saved us all, which we thank you for. But we can't move on because the Gyarados made a hole in the ferry. We have to repair it first. Anyway, what are we going to do with the Gyarados while we repair it?"

They all looked at each other, but nobody knew what they should do with it. "We'll watch it while you repair." Gary suggested. "Than we can figure out what to do with it. Maybe someone wants a Gyarados?"

Gary looked around him, seeing everybody trying to get away. They don't want him either, he thought. "Let's get the snooker table up here. Gyarados won't defrost within a hour."

Chris thought it was a great idea and already started to walk inside again. Gary followed. "But how do we get it outside?" Chris asked. Gary pointed at Bulbasaur.

"Maybe our Pokémon can help."

Bulbasaur used its vines to take one leg of the table and Aemilia transferred into a Venusaur. She stood outside and lifted the table to the deck with her own vines, while the rest pushed. Gary's fan club decided it was heavy enough for them to wear one ball or a cue.

"I hope you didn't break your back?" Chris said sarcastically.

"No miss." They all said together. "But thanks for asking."

Chris hit herself for the head. "Where did you dug up these girls? And did you brainwashed them first?" She asked Gary.

Aemilia returned to her older form and together they lifted the table to the middle of the deck, to the shade of the Gyarados. The ferry didn't move and the sun was shining bright, but they didn't care.

"It was your turn." Chris said and tossed the balls at the green sheet. "You were about to do the Butterfree flight."

Gary looked at the balls. "You can't make that move if they are in these positions. I think I'll chose the Ivysaur Solar Beam. Yellow takes green by hitting north." He shot and the ball started to roll. He hit the north side and spun almost the same way back, but with a slight change of direction. It passed the red and blue ball and hit the green ball. Gary's fans started to sing again.

"You really know how to give me a hard time you know?" She said and walked to the red ball. Suddenly, Aemilia tapped her on her shoulder. She whispered something in her ear and Chris smiled. "On advice of my coach, I'll do a Bellsprout wrinkle."

Gary went to the table and looked. "I don't see a Bellsprout wrinkle." Chris pointed at the red ball.

"Red hits green." She looked proudly. "But I didn't see that either. You know what the problem is with this game? You start to think to difficult."

"Just play!" Gary grumbled.

Chris walked to the table and stood ready to shoot. But suddenly she stopped.

"Something wrong?" Gary asked.

"I thought the shadow was moving. And I felt some drops." She looked at the Gyarados. She looked better but the creature didn't move. She decided to turn around, but suddenly she turned back. Oh my god, she thought. "The eyes! The eyes are moving!" She yelled. "He's going to break out!"

A tape went on and played a tune. All watched to the stairs to the upper deck. They saw a radio, and 2 people stood proudly by it.

"With proud we present: The Team Rocket yell! To protect mankind from devastation."
"To unite everybody within our nation."
"To denounce the evil of friendship and love."

"To extend our reach to the moon above..."

"Stop that!" Chris yelled afraid. "The…"

"Oh shut up you brat. We have to finish our yell or else we can't win!" Shane said angry.

"Have it your way…." Chris said and wanted to slip away with the others. With great caution they hurried to the door.

Shane played back the tape a bit and Shana continued their yell with her next line before an empty deck.

"Shana!"
"And Shane!"
"Team Rocket! Blast off with the brightness of light!"

"We are the best, that's right!"

Within the blink of an eye the Gyarados broke free from his frozen prison and dived with great speed to the freighted Shana and Shane. It knocked them away from the ferry making them vanish behind the horizon.

"Looks like Team Rocket…." Shana started.

"Has left the building…. Again."



Aemilia carefully opened the door. "They are gone." She said and the door went further open. "And I don't see the Gyarados anymore." She looked into the sun. "They vanished like snow vanishes before the sun."

Chris walked outside. She saw the wrecked snooker table. "I guess we have to pay for it."

"At least we are all right." Gary said.

"I know." Chris said. "But that isn't an excuse for the wrecked table. It's our fault it broke. We moved it outside. Why do I always hesitate when I have the chance to catch the Gyarados?"

The water started to move again and the Gyarados appeared.

"Speaking of the devil…" Gary whispered. He stood ready to run again.

But the Gyarados didn't attack. Instead of attacking, it only looked at Chris and Aemilia. Suddenly, it lowered his head and put it on the deck. This ritual shocked Chris and Aemilia.

"What is he doing?" Chris asked to Aemilia. Aemilia shook her head.

"I don't know. I'm no Gyarados." The Gyarados growled. "It says he surrenders himself. He knows he can't compete with you. It's your territory again."

Chris looked at the Gyarados. Suddenly she walked to it and patted him. Gary wanted to grab her back, but she didn't seem to be afraid anymore.

"Oh my, Gyarados." She sighed. "You are really going to hate what I'll say next. I'm leaving, so it can be your territory." The Gyarados angry lifted his head again. Why did he have to do so much trouble if she was leaving? "But I'm coming back." She said quickly. "And you can protect it from intruders for me." She Gyarados lowered his head again. "But don't attack the ferry's, just scare people away from the Ocean Gym… well, what's left of it. But I don't want you to scare the people from Raindrop Island anymore!"

The only thing the Gyarados did was growl a bit. "He accepts it." Aemilia said. "But he wants you to give him a name." Chris looked wondering at Aemilia. "I don't know why. Maybe because people will know this way you are the one who defeated him."

Chris smiled and started to walk back. She looked at the Gyarados. She took some minutes for herself and than walked back to the Gyarados. "I don't know a name. What's wrong with Gyarados?" She sighed. "But you wanted to have a name? What about Ocean, like the Ocean Gym, so everybody will know you are part of that." The Gyarados seemed to smile and nodded. Chris patted him one more time and than Ocean left them and dove into the sea.

"What just happened?" Gary asked. Chris shook her head.

"I don't know, but I guess our Gyarados troubles are over."

Suddenly, the ferry began to move again. The horn blew again with great power.

"Finally." Gary said. "We are moving again. CrossRoads Island, here we come. Be ready for Gary the greatest!" Chris and Aemilia looked at him with a devastating look. "All right, and Aemilia and Chris."

"That's better!" Chris said. Aemilia and she walked away.

"Why do you always keep annoying me?" Gary yelled, but Chris didn't react. She just waved her hand. "He, I'm talking to you!" He ran after her. Jeez, he thought, and I'm travelling with those annoying girls?

To be continued…