Ah, about that…" Brock shook his head with a bitter smile. He hadn't expected the first thing they'd talk about upon meeting again was who looked older. But he also knew Xia You was joking—just breaking the ice—so he spread his hands.
"Maybe it's because I have nine younger siblings to take care of, so I've been overworked."
"Oh, right," Ash asked, "Do you want to come with us to the Port now?"
Xia You looked puzzled.
"What are you going to the Port for?"
"Earlier in the city center, someone gave us a ticket for a luxury cruise ship," Misty explained. "The person said there'll be a grand Trainer banquet on board, organized by a big conglomerate. Lots of people will attend, it'll be super fun—and everything's free!"
"There's really such a good thing?" Xia You frowned. "Why does it sound like a scam?"
Seeing Xia You didn't believe him, Ash quickly pulled a ticket from his pocket.
"It's real! Look, this is the ticket. We even saw tons of people heading to the Port already."
"Even so…" Xia You glanced at it. "There's only one ticket. How do you three plan to get on?"
Ash opened it and showed him the bold word printed clearly on it.
"Group ticket! As many people as you want can go. If you want to come too, then let's go together!"
Xia You carefully examined the ticket.
On the front was a photo of a luxurious cruise ship, and beside it, a line of large characters:
St. Anne
St. Anne…?
Xia You's heart skipped a beat.
Wasn't this the famous cruise ship from the anime—the one that eventually sank!?
Not noticing Xia You's hesitation, Ash continued excitedly,
"Battling Trainers from different places, meeting new Pokémon—I've never been this excited!"
"Exactly!" Brock nodded enthusiastically, eyes shining. "And there must be tons of delicious food… and beautiful older sisters!"
Even Misty's eyes sparkled.
"A relaxing cruise, lying on the deck, soaking up the sun… just imagining it makes me look forward to it."
While the three of them were happily fantasizing, Xia You was thinking about something else entirely.
If he remembered correctly, not long after the St. Anne set sail, it would be attacked by Team Rocket and then encounter a violent storm—eventually sinking to the bottom of the sea.
A luxury cruise ship like that…
The losses would be astronomical.
But after a moment of thought, Xia You realized that even if he warned them now, it probably wouldn't change anything.
Since Team Rocket managed to infiltrate the St. Anne, they must have prepared thoroughly. Without solid evidence, any warning would likely be ignored—and worse, might alert Team Rocket themselves.
And if that happened, it could even attract the attention of the banquet's true boss—
Giovanni.
As for the storm…
A cruise ship of this scale would never set sail without checking the weather. If the captain allowed departure, then either Team Rocket altered the route later—or the storm formed suddenly and violently.
"Huh? Xia You, what are you thinking about?"
Misty noticed his silence and tilted her head.
"Well, are you coming or not?"
Xia You nodded slowly.
"Of course. I want to experience it too."
The group soon arrived at Vermilion City Port.
Ships of all sizes were docked along the coast, but among them, one stood out overwhelmingly.
The St. Anne.
Towering over everything else, more than a dozen stories tall, it was an absolute behemoth.
The St. Anne was a world-famous luxury cruise ship, said to dock in Vermilion City once a year before embarking on a global voyage.
Just as Ash had said, countless Trainers, each accompanied by their Pokémon, were lining up to board.
The closer they got, the more overwhelming it felt.
"Wow…" Misty stared upward in awe. "It's huge. We're really going out to sea on this thing?"
Just as Ash and the others were about to board, Xia You suddenly spoke up.
"Wait. I need to buy something first."
He walked into a nearby diving equipment shop, browsed for a long time, and finally purchased a diving mask and a simple respirator.
…So expensive.
After paying, only a small portion of his hard-earned savings remained.
Seeing his heavy expression, Ash asked curiously,
"What'd you buy those for?"
"I'm not very good at swimming," Xia You replied calmly. "These might come in handy someday."
He didn't explain further.
After all, what hadn't happened yet didn't need to be said—and these people always seemed to turn danger into safety anyway.
Even if the St. Anne really sank, they'd probably survive.
Queueing.
Ticket checking.
Boarding.
Crossing the gangway and stepping onto the deck, they entered a grand hall.
The hall was vast and tall, illuminated by countless crystal chandeliers. Golden decorations reflected dazzling light, and tourists filled the space.
Long tables draped in red cloth were covered with food, free for anyone to enjoy.
Xia You scanned the crowd.
People chatted enthusiastically—old friends and strangers alike—sharing travel stories and discussing Pokémon. Laughter filled the air.
On both sides of the hall, vendors sold all kinds of goods.
From small jewelry, to figures, to giant Pokémon dolls—everything imaginable.
The noise of bargaining and laughter blended into a lively atmosphere.
But what drew the most attention was the Pokémon battle taking place at the center of the hall.
A large crowd surrounded the battlefield.
The battle was informal, organized by the travelers themselves.
One side was a middle-aged man in a suit.
The other, a young man in a green shirt.
And their Pokémon—
A Rattata.
Versus a Starmie.