Chapter 25: The Saint Anne

Chapter 25: The St. Anne

"Ah, well..." Brock shook his head with a bitter smile. He hadn't expected the first thing they would talk about upon reuniting would be who looked older! However, he knew Xia You was joking—it was just a way to bridge the distance between them—so he simply spread his hands. "Maybe it's because I have nine younger siblings to look after; I've probably just been overworked."

"By the way," Ash asked, "do you want to come to the harbor with us now?"

Xia You asked in confusion, "What are you guys going to the harbor for?"

"Someone gave us a luxury cruise ticket in the city center just now," Misty explained. "The person who gave it to us said that a grand Trainer banquet is being held there, organized by a major tycoon. Many people will be attending, it'll be a lot of fun, and everything is free!"

"Something that good exists?" Xia You frowned. "It sounds a bit like a scam."

Seeing Xia You's skepticism, Ash pulled a ticket out of his pocket.

"It's real! Look, this is the ticket for the cruise. And on our way here, we already saw plenty of people rushing toward the harbor."

"Even so..." Looking at the ticket, Xia You couldn't help but ask, "But there's only one ticket. How do the three of you plan to get on?"

Ash opened the ticket, allowing Xia You to see the word 'Group' printed on it.

"Hehe, it's a group ticket! As many people as want to go can come. If you want to go too, just come with us."

Xia You examined the ticket closely. On the front was a photograph of a luxury cruise ship, and beside it, a line of large text read—The St. Anne.

The St. Anne?

Xia You froze. Wasn't this the famous shipwreck from the anime!?

Unaware of Xia You's hesitation, Ash continued to speak incessantly in an excited tone, "Battling and exchanging ideas with Trainers from different places, and seeing many Pokémon we've never seen before—it's going to be awesome!"

"Exactly, exactly!" Brock nodded in agreement, his mind wandering with fantasies. "And there will surely be plenty of delicious food and beautiful older sisters!"

Even Misty's eyes shone with longing. "A relaxing cruise, lying on the deck sunbathing... just thinking about it makes me excited."

While the three of them were daydreaming, Xia You was pondering a different matter.

If he remembered correctly, shortly after the St. Anne set sail, it was attacked by Team Rocket and encountered a storm, eventually sinking to the bottom of the sea under the destruction of massive waves.

A cruise ship of such high cost sinking like that... the property loss must have been at least billions.

However, Xia You reconsidered. Even if he were kind enough to offer a warning in advance, he probably wouldn't be able to change its fate.

Since Team Rocket could infiltrate the St. Anne, they must have made thorough preparations. Without evidence, meddling recklessly would not only fail to gain the captain's attention but would instead alert Team Rocket. If he were too obvious, he might even attract the attention of the banquet's organizer—the mastermind behind Team Rocket, Giovanni!

As for that storm...

Although Xia You didn't know much about maritime affairs, a cruise ship of this size would certainly monitor relevant meteorological information before sailing.

Since the captain allowed the voyage to proceed, it meant that either Team Rocket suddenly changed the ship's course, or that massive storm capable of capsizing a cruise ship formed out of nowhere!

"Huh? Xia You, what are you thinking about?" Seeing Xia You's long silence, Misty couldn't help but ask, "So, do you want to come with us or not?"

Xia You nodded. "Of course I'll come. I was just thinking I'd like to go and see it for myself."

The group arrived at the Vermilion City harbor. As soon as they stepped in, they saw many vessels of various sizes docked along the coast, but the largest and most luxurious was undoubtedly the St. Anne.

Standing over a dozen stories high, this behemoth was the undisputed, dazzling centerpiece of the harbor.

The St. Anne was a world-renowned luxury cruise ship. It was said to dock in Vermilion City once a year before sailing off on a world cruise.

Just as Ash had said, there were indeed many Trainers bringing their Pokémon, checking their tickets and boarding at the pier.

The closer they got, the more overwhelmed they were by the sheer scale of the ship.

"Wow, it's so huge!" Misty cried out, looking up in awe. "Is this the ship we're taking out to sea?"

However, just as Ash and the others were about to board, Xia You called out to them first.

"Wait a moment, I need to buy some things first."

With that, he walked to a nearby diving supply shop. After browsing for a long time, he bought a pair of diving goggles and a simple breathing apparatus.

*So expensive...*

After buying these two items, his savings from previous part-time jobs were reduced to less than half.

Seeing Xia You pay and then pack the items into his backpack with a heavy expression, Ash asked curiously, "What are you buying these for?"

"I'm not a very good swimmer. I might need these at any time."

Xia You chose not to tell Ash and the others the truth. After all, these events had not yet happened, and considering various factors, these individuals were all blessed with incredible luck; they always managed to escape danger. Even if the St. Anne truly sank, they would surely find a way to survive.

Queueing, ticket checking, boarding.

When Xia You and the others climbed the gangway, crossed the deck, and entered a magnificent hall.

The hall was vast in both height and width. Under the glow of golden decorations and countless crystal chandeliers, the space was already filled with all kinds of tourists. Long tables were laid out on the red carpet, covered with an abundance of food available for anyone to sample.

Xia You walked into the crowd and looked around.

Whether they were old acquaintances or meeting for the first time, people were interacting warmly, sharing stories of their travels and talking about their Pokémon. Everyone's face was filled with smiles; it seemed they were all very satisfied with the cruise.

On both sides of the hall, vendors were selling various goods.

From small items like earrings to mid-sized figurines and large Pokémon plushies, everything was available. The sounds of conversation, shouting, and haggling were incessant, creating a bustling atmosphere.

However, the most eye-catching event was the Pokémon battle currently taking place in the center of the hall, surrounded by layers of spectators.

This battle was organized by the passengers themselves. The two Trainers were a middle-aged man in a suit and a youth in a green shirt.

Their Pokémon were a Raticate and a Starmie.

(End of Chapter)