Ash, Misty, and Brock meet Austin and Coolma: Part 5

Danger on the High Seas

The sun is starting to set over Parasol City sea port as Ash, Brock and Misty prepare for their Journey with Austin and Coolma. Ash and Misty are sitting on a rock watching the sun go down as the rest of the gang tie ropes to hold down thier packs on their new Lapras. Coolma is playing with Togepi so Ash and Misty could have a moment alone.

"Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it." Misty said as she watched the sun set.

"Uh, yea." Ash mumbled. He had something on his mind, but was afraid to say it.

"Ash?" Misty asked. "Why did you give me your Lapras?"

"Well," Ash said, "I know you like water Pokemon, and well, I..." Ash trailed off and he looked down at his feet, dangling off the rock.

"I like you too Ash." Misty could hardly believe her own words.

"Y-yo-you like m-m-me?" Ash said surprised. He had planned out how he wanted to tell Misty, but she had beaten him to it.

"I understand if you don't-" Misty started.

"No! No, Misty, of course I do, but I never knew that you had the same feelings for me!" Ash blurted out.

"How do I know that." Misty said, she sounded hurrt. "Y, yy-you're just sayin that. I underst-" She was cut short when her eyes met his. That's when she knew that what he said was true. They moved closer as they starred into each other's eyes. Just then, the moment ended as Coolma popped up from behind the rock.

"Hey guys, we gotta' go, the Lapras is ready!" He shouted.

"Well, I guess that we should go." Ash wispered in a dissapointed tone.

"I guess so." Misty said softly.

The gang climbed up onto the Lapras. Ash helped pull Misty up. Pikachu jumped onto the back of the shell next to Killer Jr. Brock and Austin secured the ropes as Coolma took Togepi back to Misty. Misty sat on the back of the Lapras's neck and started it off into the water. She couldn't stop thinking about Ash. She thought about how she had followed him on his journey since before he had even gotten his first badge. She had never known how much he cared. She hadn't really admitted to herself that she liked him until recently. She looked down at Togepi, the little egg was sleeping in her arms. She looked back at the gang. They were all sleeping except Austin. Austin was playing a game or something on his Pokedex pro. Brock was talking in his sleep. Misty only heard a few words, but knew that he was thinking about girls. He was always thinking of girls. Coolma was drooling in his sleep. Killer Jr and Pikachu were sleeping in their masters' back packs. They all looked goofy tied down to the shell of the Lapras. Ash had been reading a comic book which was slipping out of his hand. Misty reached down and grabbed it. She slid it into his sleeping bag so it wouldn't fall into the water.

Misty was feeling tired, she couldn't steer the Lapras much longer. She needed a nap. Since Austin was the only one awake, he was elected to be the new driver.

"Austin," Misty yawned. "Could you steer for a couple hours?"

"Don't worry Misty, just wait until after I complete this course." Austin said looking up from his racing game.

Misty crawled into her sleeping bag and slid under the ropes so she wouldn't fall off Lapras durring the night. Austin couldn't see anything. It was pitch black out. He pulled out a chemical light from his pack. He hit the bottom and shook it. When it started to glow, he tied it around the Lapras's neck. He pulled out four more and hung them from the sides of the Lapras's shell. Now boats would see them in the dark.

Finally, Austin pulled a spotlight from his pack and climbed to the top of the water pokemon's head and secured it there. Now they could see in front of them. Then Austin set to his job.

The big Lapras seemed to be wide awake. That was good. But there was something that did bother Austin. He had not been back to Cinnabar in over a month and a half. He wondered what his father would say. He was afraid that his father had found out about his real journey. He knew that he would not be happy if his dad found out that instead of going to enroll in Pokemon Tech, he had gone off in search of the world's rarest and most dangerous Pokemon.

He told himself that he wasn't tired, that he could stay awake. He, however, had not gotten a full night's sleep in days and was soon out like a light.

The next morning, Austin opened his eyes to a sight that he certainly did not like. The Lapras was surrounded by jet-skis. Each one of them sporting the Team Rocket logo! Austin bolted up and shook everyone awake.

"Guys! Guys! Please wake up! We're in trouble!!" Austin cried.

Ash, Misty, Brock, and Coolma jumped up and were shocked by the number of

Team Rocket members that surrounded them. Ash woke up Pikachu and was electrocuted. Misty picked up the now crying Togepi and hushed it. Coolma grabbed the pokeballs off of his belt and prepared to battle.

"Cool it bro," Austin said nervously as he put his hand on Coolma's shoulder, "We can't battle all these guys at once."

"Wait, I have an idea." Coolma said as he brought out Sloth's pokeball.

Austin knew what he was planning and took out a slingshot from Coolma's pack.

"Good thinking," Austin said as he lobbed the slingshot to Coolma. Coolma grabbed it and fired the pokeball containing sloth high above five of the jet-skis.

"Go Sloth!" Coolma shouted.

At once, the pokeball opened and the giant snorlax fell from the pokeball and onto five of the fifteen startled members of Team Rocket!

By now, Austin had pulled out a rather large bungee cord from his pack and gave one end to Brock. "Take this, and pull it tight!" Austin yelled over the roar of the jet-skis quickly approaching them.

"Resistance is futile, give up your pokemon and all your money." said one of the rocket members wearing a white uniform instead of the usual black ones. He had a black R and gold stripes on his arms. From his appearance, he was the leader of the gang.

Austin and Brock pulled on the cord as Killer Jr got ready and Coolma sent out Clefable. Killer Jr was first, he pulled himself back against the cord and then let go. He soared over the water and clamped around the head of one of the riders. The stunned gangster took his hands off the handlebars and fell off the jet ski. Luckily, Killer Jr hopped back on the watercraft and gunned the engine. Oh how he loved that sound.

As Killer Jr drove the jet-ski on several kamakasi missions, Clefable was launched at the shocked and red-faced comander. Clefable used his small spikey wings to steer towards the mans head. Unexpectedly, the man took out his gun and fired a round at the pokemon. Clefable dodged it and decided to give up on the leader and drop-kicked another member off his jet-ski.

By now, there were two pokemon and three members of Team Rocket. Many jet-skis were totaled by Killer Jr's reckless driving, but one good one drifted towards the Lapras. Ash saw this and hopped aboard with Pikachu riding on his head. Ash headed straight for the leader, but a bullet hit his jet-ski from behind. Ash turned to see ten other Team Rocket members comming from behind him. The commander must have called for backup!

Brock and Coolma had already climbed aboard jet-skis, and Austin was climbing on one with Killer Jr. Ash raced towards the Lapras and grabbed Misty who was holding Togepi. Coolma pulled out sloth's pokeball and collected the huge animal. Misty pulled out Lapras's pokeball, but a stray bullet knocked it out of he hand!

"It's not worth it Misty, you'll have to leave it here!" Ash said seriously.

Misty's eyes watered as they drove away and they say Team Rocket capturing

Lapras in a pokeball and driving in another direction after picking up the fallen men in a rescue boat.

Austin slowed down and let the others catch up. It had been a rough morning and they were in bad need of a full night's sleep. They were happy to see Cinnibar Island in the distance. All except Austin and Coolma. Austin knew something was wrong. The brothers had lived on the island since they were young, but had never the port empty. It was usually bussing with boats and surfers. They only had a few more minutes to prepare for what they would see next!

To be continued...