Leaving behind the Viridian Forest and its resident Pidgey flocks, Ash and his friends arrived at the major port city that served as the gateway to the Orange Archipelago. Before heading to the docks to purchase their ferry tickets, they decided to stop at a large convenience store to restock their supplies.
"We need to prepare enough water and food. I've heard the routes through the Orange Islands can get quite bumpy," Brock said, meticulously checking items off his shopping list.
"And we have to get some of the snacks the Pokémon like!" Misty added as she browsed the shelves overflowing with various Pokémon foods.
Ash was focused on picking up basic travel gear when his gaze was suddenly drawn to a raffle activity near the checkout counter.
"Spend 3,000 yen in a single transaction to enter our Lucky Draw! Grand Prize: Round-trip airship tickets for two to Valencia Island!"
"Airship tickets?" Ash felt a stir of excitement. That would be much faster than taking a boat, and it would certainly save them from the discomfort of a rocky sea voyage.
He looked at the supplies they had gathered; the total was already well over their budget.
"Let's try our luck!" Ash suggested.
Under the encouraging gaze of the cashier, Ash gave the raffle wheel a firm spin. The needle whirled rapidly and finally, under the bated breath of the trio, it came to a steady halt right on the smallest golden slot!
"Congratulations! You've won the Grand Prize! Round-trip airship tickets for two to Valencia Island!" the cashier announced in a delighted surprise.
"That's amazing!" Misty and Brock cheered.
"Wait, it's a ticket for two, but there are three of us..." Brock quickly noticed the problem.
Fortunately, after speaking with the organizers and considering their status as a Champion-level team, the hosts generously agreed to upgrade the prize to three one-way airship tickets directly to Valencia Island!
"What a lucky streak!" Misty said happily.
Following the directions provided, they made their way to a private airship landing pad on the outskirts of the city. However, when they saw the so-called "airship," the three of them froze.
The vessel before them looked ancient. The paint was peeling in several places, and the rivets at the joints were covered in rust. It was a far cry from the luxurious, comfortable airship they had imagined.
"This... this airship looks like it's seen better decades," Brock muttered, rubbing his chin with concern.
"It feels a bit sketchy..." Misty added, her skepticism growing.
Ash silently extended his Aura Power. In an instant, he sensed three energy signatures inside the airship that were far too familiarJessie, James, and Meowth!
Just as he suspected! He immediately recalled this plot point from the original story. This wasn't a prize; it was a trap airship disguised by Team Rocket!
Ash calmly pulled Misty and Brock aside and lowered his voice. "This airship is a Team Rocket disguise."
"What?!" Misty and Brock gasped in shock.
"No wonder it's so run-down!" Brock whispered as the realization hit him.
"Then let's get out of here and take the boat instead!" Misty urged immediately.
"No," Ash said, a glint of mischief flashing in his eyes. "Since they've gone to all this trouble to 'enthusiastically' invite us and even 'sponsored' our tickets, wouldn't it be a shame to ignore their 'kindness'?"
Misty and Brock immediately understood his meaningthey were going to beat Team Rocket at their own game!
"Hello there, twerps... I mean, honored guests!" A figure wearing an ill-fitting uniform and a wigJessie in disguiseapproached them with a smile that was painfully stiff.
"W-welcome aboard!" Another figure in a similarly awkward uniformJamesadded nervously.
"P-please follow me, meow!" Even Meowth was there, wearing a ridiculous bowtie in an attempt to play a waiter.
The trio fought back their laughter, pretending to notice nothing as they boarded the vessel. The interior was even worsedilapidated seats and clutter piled everywhere.
The airship wobbled as it lifted into the sky.
Initially, the Team Rocket trio maintained their charade, serving drinks and food that looked highly suspicious. Ash and the others politely "accepted" them before quietly disposing of them.
After about half an hour of flying, once they were far from the port city, Jessie's arrogant laughter finally echoed over the airship's intercom, no longer hidden.
"Hahaha! Since you've been so sincere in falling for our trap!"
"We shall tell you, out of our great mercy!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!" "James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light! A white hole, a white tomorrow awaits us!"
"Meowth! That's right!"
As soon as the motto ended, the cabin door slammed shut with a heavy thud, locked from the outside. The airship began to jolt violently and started a rapid descent!
"Haha! Twerps, you didn't see this coming, did you? This airship was our masterpiece! The control system is locked, and we're going down! Hand over your Pokémon, especially that Pikachu, right now!" Jessie's voice crowed over the speakers, full of triumph.
"Oh? Is that so?" Ash wasn't panicked in the slightest. He had already used his Aura to locate the mechanism of the lock. He gestured to his partner. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail on the door lock. Minimum power."
"Pika!" Pikachu chirped. His tail took on a metallic sheen, striking the lock's weak point with surgical precision. With a crisp click, the door swung open.
The trio rushed to the cockpit, where they found the Team Rocket trio frantically fumbling with buttons while the airship's alarms blared shrilly.
"Since you love playing with airships so much," Ash said, looking at them with cool composure, "you should experience the 'crash' for yourselves. Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"PikaCHUUUU!"
A dazzling bolt of lightning filled the cramped cockpit. Team Rocket was blasted until they were charred black, their hair standing on end.
"W-why does it always end like this, meow..."
"This feels terrible!"
Amidst their screams, Ash and Brock worked together to toss the Team Rocket trio out of the cockpit, sending them streaking through the sky like falling stars.
The troublemakers were gone, but the crisis remained. After Team Rocket's haphazard tampering, the control system was completely fried. The airship was spinning out of control, plummeting toward the ocean.
"Oh no! We're going to crash!" Misty screamed, watching the sea surface rush toward them through the window.
"We have to stabilize it!" Brock tried to work the console, but there was no response.
Ash took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't hold back anymore. He focused his mind and connected to his internal interface.
"System, exchange for [Max-Level Aircraft Piloting (including Airships)] skill immediately!"
"[Ding! Consumed 1,500 World Origin Points. Successfully exchanged for [Max-Level Aircraft Piloting (including Airships)]! Current World Origin Points: 33,200.]"
In an instant, a massive flood of knowledge regarding airship structures, aerodynamics, emergency procedures, and instrument readings poured into Ash's mind, rapidly converting into muscle memory and instinct. His eyes cleared with sudden understanding, and the complex dashboard became crystal clear to him.
"Brock, Misty, hold on tight! Leave this to me!" Ash vaulted into the pilot's seat. His hands flew across the controls with terrifying precision as he hauled back on the control stick.
The plunging airship let out a bone-grinding metallic screech, and its downward momentum suddenly halted! Ash expertly adjusted the airbag pressure and the rudders, utilizing the air currents and the remaining engine power to wrench the dilapidated vessel back from the brink of disaster!
The airship traced a thrilling arc just above the waves before laboriously climbing again. Although it was still shaking, it had regained basic stability.
"W-we're saved?!" Misty and Brock stared at Ash's back in stunned silence, feeling as if they were looking at a complete stranger.
"Ash... when did you learn how to fly an airship?!" Brock asked, unable to believe his eyes.
"Oh, you know... I studied it a little on the side," Ash replied vaguely, his focus remaining on the flight path.
Relying on his max-level piloting skills, he squeezed every bit of potential out of the aging vessel, dodging unstable currents and steering it steadily toward Valencia Island.
After a tense but successful flight, the silhouette of Valencia Island finally appeared on the horizon. Ash brought the airship down in a less-than-perfect but safe landing at the island's designated pad.
As the vessel finally came to a standstill, Misty and Brock let out long sighs of relief, their eyes filled with a mix of wonder, admiration, and confusion as they looked at Ash.
Ash unbuckled his seatbelt and smiled. "Alright, we've arrived. Next stop, the Pokémon Center for a rest."
A new island, a new adventure, and that mysterious GS Ball were right before them.
The journey through the Orange Islands is about to begin!
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