Once they decided to take a vacation to the Sevii Islands via cruise, Alex and the girls began discussing the details.
"I don't want a public cruise," Nyx said. "I'd also prefer something more private than hiring a crew."
"We can just buy a boat," Sable suggested. "Let's get a big one that doesn't sway with the waves. I don't want to get seasick."
"Who's going to captain it?" Kaia asked.
"Wouldn't a Rotom be able to handle that for us?" Nyx replied. "They're League-certified, so they could easily drive a boat. We just need to make sure the boat is fully automated for them. I bet there are a few for sale in Cerulean City. Here, let me check."
"What about you girls?" Alex asked Vera, Lyra, Mika, Rhea, Iris, and Maris.
They all shrugged, which meant they didn't particularly care. They just wanted a vacation to relax and spend time with him.
"Got it!" Nyx said. "The Azure Voyager is a 35-meter yacht that's fully automated and comes with an advanced Rotom navigation system. It has a pool, hot tub, multiple lounges, a professional kitchen, viewing decks, a dock for Pokémon and smaller boats, and is rated for deep-ocean voyages. It can resist up to Elite ranked damage, is gyro-stabilized so it doesn't sway, and comes with climate-controlled cabins fit for 20 people, a Pokémon play area, secure storage for items and gear, and emergency life pods."
"How much?" Alex asked, though it didn't really matter.
"Fifty million Poké Dollars."
"That's… pretty cheap," Alex commented.
"Cheap!? That's a rip-off!" Mika exclaimed. "I could buy a mansion for that much."
"Well… it is a kind of mansion, only it's out at sea," Nyx said.
"Do they have bigger ones?" Alex asked. He wanted something that wouldn't need replacing if their family grew in the future.
"They do, but you can't store them in space bags anymore," Nyx explained. "You'd have to rent a dock to keep them, and it's a hassle to maintain."
"Let's get that one then," Alex decided.
"Alright! So, when are we going?" Sable asked with excitement. "Since we're heading to the Sevii Islands, it's probably going to be a month-long round trip out at sea."
"I need to make sure my new Pokémon are comfortable first," Alex said.
"I need to look into how to grow the Herba Mystica," Kaia added.
"I need to do an inventory of all the junk Alex brought back," Rhea said.
"So… a month?"
"Yeah," they all replied, while the rest nodded in agreement. They still had to make sure their work wouldn't be interrupted during their absence, after all.
With their vacation planned, the girls set about finishing their schedules to afford a full month off.
Meanwhile, Alex began introducing Grim and Knight to the other Pokémon, while also explaining the concept of formation training to the pair. He also incorporated the Lucario duo he had acquired from Interpol, giving the new Pokémon a full sense of how coordinated team combat worked.
The Lucario pair took to formation training like fish in water, while Grim and Knight understandably struggled. They couldn't see why relying on others was so important until repeated defeats at the hands of progressively weaker Pokémon, attacking in perfectly coordinated groups of three, finally convinced them to participate.
Alex sighed in relief that he had managed to get them on board. Their combat experience and individuality made them perfect for the attack team, but they still needed to mesh seamlessly with the defense team and follow orders.
Speaking of following orders, Knight hated the idea of being beneath someone weaker and having to obey without question. It argued that it was intelligent enough to make its own decisions in combat, a point Alex couldn't dispute, since that independence was exactly why he wanted Knight on the attack team in the first place.
Fortunately, Knight agreed to settle the issue with Gardevoir through strategic computer games. It lost repeatedly, demanding rematch after rematch, until it finally gave up and submitted to her command.
Gardevoir's victories firmly reinforced her role as the one who called the shots. Grim, on the other hand, showed little interest in overthinking things and was content following simple instructions, which surprised Alex. He had always assumed Grim would be more difficult to train, given how confrontational it could be.
In the end, everything was settled without much hassle, and their training began in earnest.
A week later, Kaia called Alex to the easternmost end of the hydroponics facility, to the greenhouse closest to the lake at the center of the property.
"I've managed to successfully promote the growth of the Herba Mystica," Kaia reported as they toured the newly renovated greenhouse. "All it needed was soil mixed with Terastal mineral dust and the largest specimen you found placed at the center of the greenhouse."
Alex took his time as he walked through the greenhouse, taking in the environment and feeling impressed with Kaia's work. Rows of Herba Mystica were planted in individual pots and arranged along vertical farming racks. An automated spray system ran along the frames, periodically misting the plants with a fine, measured haze that kept the air humid without soaking the soil. Everything was clean, controlled, and precise, more laboratory than garden.
Near the entrance of the greenhouse were two spaces designed as private rooms for Grim and Knight. Each was heavily decorated with Terastal minerals recovered from the cave that had once belonged to Knight. The mineral presence helped keep their energies stable while also soothing them, promoting growth in tandem with a diet of Champion ranked meat.
Reinforced, waterproof beds were set into the floor, clearly sized with larger Pokémon in mind. Alex glanced toward them, already picturing Knight and Grim occupying the space without risking damage to the rest of the facility.
"It's perfect. Grim and Knight have been complaining about the accommodations, saying they lacked energy. With this, they'll be able to rest peacefully while surrounded by Terastal energy. You did an excellent job, Kaia," Alex said, holding her hand and meeting her eyes with clear affection.
"Aw, thanks," Kaia replied with a blush, leaning in to claim a kiss as her reward.
After their brief, intimate moment, she explained the specifics of the formula used to water the Herba Mystica. It was Terastal mineral-soaked water blended with the standard nutrient mix they already used for herbs, allowing the plants to thrive far beyond what Knight's cave had ever provided.
"Since I'm already here," Alex said, "I wanted to ask about the Goodra pair and the Araquanid pair. How are they doing?"
"Bored out of their minds," Kaia said before elaborating. "They've had plenty of children over the years, and those kids have been handling most of the work. They used to stay busy taking care of them, but now that the younger ones are older and stronger, both pairs have nothing to do. I think they want to actually fight, or at least do something more engaging than endless training."
"Perfect," Alex said. "I've been meaning to bring the Goodra pair into the defensive team to replace Hydreigon, and the Araquanid pair into the water team to improve their overall utility."
"That's great," Kaia said with a smile. "I'm sure they'll be happy about the change."
Alex stopped by the Goodra and Araquanid pair's rooms immediately afterward and offered them spots on the away team. They all jumped for joy at the chance to see action instead of performing the same monotonous responsibilities. That same day, they joined the away team's training and performed excellently, considering they had been training with the home team in exactly the same manner since the very beginning.
As for the home team, a few complained that they wanted to come along as well, prompting Alex to consider it seriously, but he eventually promised them more Champion ranked meat in their diets while refusing their request. He already had the Lucario nest's support for defenses, but they didn't train like the original home team. At most, they were great at taking down wild Pokémon, but they would ultimately lose against skilled trainers or clever humans.
Once Goodra and the Araquanid officially joined the team, Alex checked their Pokédex entries to refresh his memory.
Name: Goodra, Elite lvl 70
Type: Dragon, Female
Ability: Sap Sipper
Moves:
Advanced:
(Priority +1): Feint, Rain Dance, Charm, Sunny Day, Substitute
(Effect Up +1): Tearful Look, Protect, Curse, Acid Armor, Dragon Cheer, Endure, Sleep Talk
(+50% Damage): Poison Tail, Tackle, Aqua Tail, Flail, Body Slam, Power Whip, Take Down, Skitter Smack, Knock Off, Breaking Swipe, Dragon Tail, Dragon Claw, Outrage, Thunder Punch, Body Press, Focus Punch, Fire Punch, Bulldoze, Stomping Tantrum, Earthquake, Facade, Giga Impact
Expert:
(+100% Damage): Acid Spray, Absorb, Water Gun, Dragon Breath, Water Pulse, Mud Shot, Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, Thunderbolt, Thunder, Focus Blast, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Hyper Beam, Tera Blast, Weather Ball, Chilling Water, Giga Drain, Hydro Pump, Scald
(+100% Range): Muddy Water, Surf
Description: Goodra, the Dragon Pokémon. Known for its immense kindness and gentle disposition, this slimy Dragon type is often misunderstood due to its gooey exterior. It is said that if it hugs its trainer with too much affection, it leaves them covered in a thick, sticky slime that is difficult to remove, yet it remains one of the most loyal companions a trainer can have.
Name: Araquanid, Elite lvl 70
Type: Water Bug, Male/Female
Ability: Water Bubble
Moves:
Advanced:
(Priority +1): Sleep Talk, Substitute, Reflect, Rest, Rain Dance
(Effect Up +1): Wide Guard, Aqua Ring, Soak, Entrainment, Protect, Scary Face, Endure, Endeavor, Iron Defense
(+50% Damage): Bug Bite, Bite, Headbutt, Crunch, Lunge, Liquidation, Leech Life, Pounce, X-Scissor, Trailblaze, Facade, Body Slam, Giga Impact, Poison Jab, Waterfall
Expert:
(+100% Damage): Water Gun, Infestation, Bubble Beam, Bug Buzz, Mirror Coat, Giga Drain, Ice Beam, Blizzard, Hyper Beam, Tera Blast, Water Pulse, Chilling Water, Hydro Pump
(+100% Range): Surf, Icy Wind
Description: Araquanid, the Water Bubble Pokémon. Known for its protective nature and unique aquatic adaptation, this arachnid-like Pokémon delivers powerful headbutts while encased in a sturdy bubble of water. It is said to use this bubble not only for breathing on land, but also for safeguarding things it values. This habit even extends to its human companions; if a trainer does not watch out, an overprotective Araquanid may try to pull them into the bubble as well.
It was a shame they had only been trained for Muddy Water, Surf, and Icy Wind at +100% Range, but it couldn't be helped. At the time, the training had been closer to an experiment than a necessity. Even so, it hardly mattered, as Surf was included and remained one of the most effective area-of-effect attacks available. There was also no long-range, area-of-effect Dragon type move suitable for Goodra, so it hardly mattered that Draco Meteor had not been trained for range proficiency.
As for adding the Araquanid at the last minute, Alex wanted to provide the water team with additional support, something this particular Pokémon could offer through Infestation to trap targets, Entrainment to share its Water Bubble ability, which doubled Water type damage, and Wide Guard to protect against area-of-effect attacks.
With these two additions, Alex now had 49 Pokémon on the away team, leaving only his flying mount as the final slot. As for which Pokémon it would be, Alex was wracked with indecision. After all, there were many Pokémon that somewhat fit the bill, but none that particularly stood out to him. Only time would tell if he would ever find the right one.
For now, he had to train his Pokémon to the best of his ability.
-----
Support me on Patreon
patreon/babywrath