The sea breeze was cold.
Waves crashed endlessly against the rocks, spraying saltwater high into the air. Water-type Pokémon surfaced from time to time, basking in the freshness of the early morning.
Above the waves, flocks of Wingull wheeled through the sky, while a colossal pirate ship carved its way across the ocean.
The vessel was massive and menacing, its pitch-black hull marked with a snarling giant shark insignia , the feared symbol of the Giant Shark crew, a name that struck dread throughout these waters.
On deck, hardened pirates patrolled diligently, ensuring the ship's smooth operation. Some bore jagged scars across their faces, their expressions cruel. Others sported wild beards and eyes that glinted with untamed savagery.
In stark contrast, a group of young men with boyish faces were scattered about, nervously commanding their newly obtained Pokémon.
"Corphish, use Vice Grip!"
"Cor-phish!"
The corphish lunged forward, its claws snapping with force. Already battered by bubbles from earlier, the Taillow was exhausted and couldn't resist further.
"Skreeee!"
The bird Pokémon let out a shrill cry before collapsing unconscious, utterly defeated.
Silas crouched down, gently patting the hard shell of his partner. He opened his palm and placed a deep-blue Pokéblock into Corphish's eager claw.
"Well done. Good work."
Corphish snapped happily, crunching on its reward.
Silas's eyes gleamed. 'It's been more than ten days… and we've beaten every other Pokémon from my group. Madam Mira wasn't lying , this Corphish is really the most gifted of them all.'
Through their battles and training, Silas had already uncovered its secrets. His Corphish possessed a rare, hidden ability = Adaptability.
With it, Corphish's Water- and Normal-type moves struck with double the ferocity. Its signature Bubble attack had become especially devastating, wearing down fliers like Taillow and Wingull with ease.
Against every opponent, Corphish's superior level and hidden potential carried the day.
Satisfied, Silas nodded to patrolling pirates along the way and made his way to the captain's quarters at the ship's top deck.
....
Silas knocked softly. "Good afternoon, Madam Mira."
"Come in."
Inside, Mira looked as radiant as ever. Though past forty, traces of age only highlighted her mature beauty. She closed an old tome and smiled at him.
"It's you, Silas. Tell me, how is your Pokémon faring?"
Silas bowed slightly. "Thanks to your guidance, Madam, I couldn't be more satisfied. Corphish is an excellent partner."
He spoke earnestly, but his every word edged closer to her, hinting at his desire to become her trusted confidant.
Mira understood perfectly. Her husband, the captain of the Giant Shark, had been absent for over half a year, whereabouts unknown. Though whispers hadn't spread among the crew, the higher-ups were restless. The two first mates were both preparing to make their moves. She needed to back a new force… and Silas was presenting himself at just the right time.
"You're clever," she said softly. "Smart, decisive, and aware of the times. Would you be willing to become my apprentice?"
Her gaze carried a rare glint of expectation.
Silas's eyes widened. He bowed quickly. "Madam Mira, it would be my greatest honor."
He knew the truth: in this world, to rise above, two resources were indispensable. The first were tangible ones - strong Pokémon, money, Pokéblocks. The second were intangible - connections, information, and guarded knowledge.
The first could be fought for, but the second? That was something he could never obtain alone. Until now.
"From today onward," Mira continued gently, "you don't need to attend the crew's daily drills. Come to me in the mornings. I'll teach you the knowledge of Pokémon breeding."
Silas bowed again, hiding the elation on his face.
From then on, his mornings were spent under Mira's tutelage. Afternoons were for training Corphish. He no longer joined in the ship's routine chores. Others could only watch in envy.
At breakfast, he no longer ate stale bread. Instead, a jug of Miltank milk sat at his table. His status had risen far beyond that of the ordinary pirates.
.....
One morning, after finishing breakfast with Brother Gutian, Silas once again reported to Mira's quarters.
"Silas," she began, her tone unusually gentle, "when Corphish evolves into Crawdaunt, it will gain the Dark typing. But along with that, its temperament will grow violent. Many trainers in the past have lost control of their Crawdaunt after evolution and some even ran away."
She leaned closer, her eyes kind, her voice filled with warmth. For a moment, Silas almost forgot this was the same woman who had once ordered her Swampert to slaughter an entire passenger ship.
"Silas, it's been some time now, and you've yet to have your Corphish properly checked."
She pulled a familiar device from her robes - a red-and-white Pokédex.
Silas's breath caught.
She scanned Corphish's Poké Ball. The device beeped and began reciting:
____________________________________
Corphish — the Ruffian Pokémon. Water-type.
Ability: Adaptability
Level: 12
Height: 0.7 m (above average)
Weight: well-developed
Known moves: Vice Grip, Harden, Bubble, Leer, Aqua Jet, Dragon Dance.
_____________________________________
Silence filled the room.
"Dragon Dance…?" Silas whispered, uncertain if he'd misheard.
"That's right." Mira smirked. "Why else do you think I recommended this Corphish to you? One of its parents must have been dragon-blooded. Not a pure Dragon-type, perhaps, but something like a Charizard or Gyarados not true dragons, but carrying draconic blood all the same."
She went on to explain further. Over the past half-month, Silas had devoured her lessons, mastering in weeks what had taken her half a year to learn. To her, he was no longer just a tool but a genuine talent worth nurturing.
"Crawdaunt's claws will be its deadliest weapons. Strengthen them." She handed him a small bottle filled with pale powder. "This is made from Cubone bones. Mix it with Corphish's food it will fortify its skeleton."
Silas accepted it with both hands. "Thank you, Madam Mira." He bowed deeply, the gesture formal one between teacher and student.
Mira smiled faintly as he left.
.....
A week has passed. The seas remained calm. Several passenger ships were encountered, but the pirates did not attack. Instead, the travelers willingly paid "protection fees" to avoid conflict.
Silas quickly realized pirates weren't limited to robbery. They were smugglers, mercenaries, even traders when the coin was right. On the Giant Shark, profit came in many forms.
The most common work, however, was hunting. Water-types from Hoenn's abundant seas were caught and later sold at high value to regions like Kanto, where water resources were scarce.
"Brother Gutian," Silas asked one afternoon as they stood at the railing, "how long until we reach land?"
Gutian squinted at the sky, lifting a thick finger. "Three days more. We'll dock near Viridian City."
The crew cheered, already dreaming of resupplying.
But beneath the waves, no one noticed the danger , a swarm of Carvanha circled in the dark depths below, their crimson eyes fixed on the hull of the Giant Shark.
.....
By noon, the mess hall was alive with chatter, until a pirate burst in, face pale.
"Bad news! The hull's being attacked by wild Pokémon! Everyone to arms!"
The hall went silent then erupted with excitement.
"Go, go, go! More loot to grab!"
"Maybe there's a rare one this time!"
High risk. High reward. Such was the pirate's creed.
The battle deck extended outward, a reinforced platform capable of holding hundreds. Pirates unleashed their Pokémon in a frenzy. Crawdaunt, Sharpedo, Whiscash all plunged into the water, sending waves crashing.
Silas and Corphish stood on the platform, blasting streams of bubbles to pressure the Carvanha swarm.
"Release your Flying-types!" someone barked. Dozens of Taillow and Wingull filled the skies, swooping down to retrieve fainted Carvanha or stray Poké Balls.
The fight was chaotic. Hundreds of Carvanha snapped and thrashed. Silas's eyes, however, locked onto one. It swam faster than the rest, its speed only climbing as the battle wore on.
'Hidden Ability… Speed Boost! ' His pulse quickened. Without hesitation, he hurled a Poké Ball marked with his name.
The sea boiled with battles and Poké Balls. It was impossible to know what had been caught. Nets were thrown in to recover the balls bobbing on the surface.
By sunset, the swarm was broken. Over half were captured. The rest fled, their attempt to sink the Giant Shark a failure.
Inside the cabin, chaos reigned pirates fought tooth and nail over their catches.
"This one's mine!"
"Idiot, my name's written on it!"
Silas slipped away from the frenzied mob, his Poké Ball secured. He climbed back to Mira's quarters.
"How was the haul this time?" she asked without looking up, her eyes on a book about Berries.
"We ran into a whole school of Carvanha. The results were… plentiful." Silas allowed himself a small grin. "Madam Mira, may I borrow your Pokédex?"
She nodded.
Beep!!
(Pokedex Entry)
____________________________________
Carvanha — the Savage Pokémon. Water/Dark-type.
Ability: Speed Boost
Level: 11
Height: 0.9 m (above average)
Weight: 22 kg (above average)
Known moves: Leer, Bite, Rage, Focus Energy, Aqua Jet, Psychic Fangs.
____________________________________
Silas stared at the entry in disbelief. A hidden ability. An inherited move.
He clenched the Poké Ball, a grin tugging at his lips.
'This time… I really struck a gold.'
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(End of chapter)