On the sea, Ash and Brock, who surfaced before Xia You, had already found several planks, pieced them together, and built a simple foothold.
Seeing Xia You and the others surface, they quickly reached out and pulled them out of the sea.
"We're finally saved!"
Kojiro lay on his back on the plank, soaked, looking at the blue sky and white clouds, feeling as if he had just walked through the Sanzu River.
Xia You also took off his diving mask, untied the rope, released Meowth, and returned Magikarp to its Poké Ball.
Under the warm sun, the surroundings were calm, filled with debris floating up from the St. Anne, and besides them, not a single person was in sight.
Brock, with his squinted eyes, looked around and said disappointedly, "It seems that all those who escaped in lifeboats have already left here."
"What should we do next?" As Ash spoke, he noticed Xiao Xia was kneeling with her back to them, her face flushed.
"Strange, Xiao Xia, what's wrong?"
Xiao Xia quickly stood up and shook her head.
"Nothing, I just choked on some water and feel a bit uncomfortable."
She tried to force herself to calm down, but her gaze couldn't help but wander between the respirator in Xia You's hand and his mouth, and for a moment, her face became even redder.
Walking up to Xia You, she changed her usual lively and tsundere demeanor, whispering, "Thank you so much just now."
Xia You naturally understood what she meant.
However, the situation was urgent at the time, and he couldn't care about anything else; saving people was the priority.
"You don't need to worry about that." Xia You coughed lightly, feeling a bit like he was trying to cover something up, so he said no more and turned his head to Ash, "Ash, send out your Pidgeotto, let it fly around nearby and see if there are any passing ships or islands."
Ash released Pidgeotto and gave it instructions; it first circled above them twice, seemingly finding its direction, then flapped its wings and flew into the distance.
Before long, when Pidgeotto returned, it seemed to have found something, landing on Ash's shoulder and constantly gesturing with its wings.
As a Pokémon that can speak human language, Meowth now acted as a translator.
[Remember the fastest novel site 101kan.com]
"It says there's a Port City not far ahead!"
Hearing the word "Port," everyone's spirits lifted, and they directed those Water Type Pokémon to swim towards the City…
…
Maiden's Peak, a Port City located between Vermilion City and Goldenrod City.
Although small, this City was very prosperous, not only with a large population but also because it had a natural good Port and was located at a transportation hub, so many ships passed through it every day, making it very lively.
After reaching the Port, as soon as Xia You and the others stepped onto the fine Sand, the Team Rocket Trio instantly regained their vigor.
They somehow produced two roses and stood back to back.
Gently sniffing the fragrance of the roses, Musashi snorted, "Since we've arrived here, it's time to say goodbye!"
"That's right!" Kojiro, with another rose in his mouth, said dashingly, "Although we're grateful that you saved us, the next time we meet, we won't show any mercy!"
"That's how it is, Meow~"
With that, amidst a burst of wild laughter, they turned and ran towards a giant rock by the sea, disappearing from view.
"I can't stand them!" Xiao Xia sighed, "But I don't have the energy to deal with them right now; I'm all wet, it's so uncomfortable. All I want right now is a good hot bath and a nice long sleep!"
In fact, it wasn't just Xiao Xia; even Xia You was exhausted after all that ordeal.
"Then let's hurry to the Pokémon Center to rest."
Xia You tightened his backpack, about to walk forward, when a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart. He turned to look at a small dock in the distance, where a woman in a white dress with long purplish-pink hair stood quietly.
A gentle breeze blew, lifting a strand of her hair, revealing a delicate and beautiful profile.
But for some reason, a faint sadness lingered around her for a long time.
Brock, who was nearby, also seemed to have seen this woman; his eyes turned heart-shaped, and he couldn't help but let out an exclamation.
"What a beautiful woman!"
Hearing the sound, Ash and Xiao Xia looked into the distance but saw nothing.
"What are you looking at?" Xiao Xia asked curiously, "There's nothing there!"
Xia You blinked, and in just a moment of distraction, the woman's figure was gone!
Walking along the road, when the group arrived at the Pokémon Center and checked in, Xia You also learned from Joy exactly where they were.
Maiden's Peak?
The soul of a beautiful woman and Gastly…
Recalling the related plot from the anime, Xia You couldn't help but smile; it turned out they had unknowingly arrived here.
"Oh, right." Joy smiled, "You've come at just the right time. This City is currently holding a summer festival, with a grand parade, a bonfire party, and lots of snacks. If you can, don't miss it!"
Xiao Xia, as a girl, and Ash, with his youthful spirit, naturally longed for such activities, but their energy had reached its limit. After discussing a meeting time, they each returned to their rooms to rest.
In fact, as public buildings with free food and lodging, the accommodation environment of Pokémon Centers has always varied by region.
Just like Maiden's Peak where they were now, because the City was not large, the scale of the Pokémon Center was not very big either. As for the male dormitory, it was just a clean small room with two bunk beds.
However, for Xia You, the clean white sheets at this moment seemed to possess an extremely strong magic, making him want to directly collapse onto them.
But despite this, he still forced himself to endure the sleepiness, took a quick shower, threw his clothes into the dryer, and then collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.
The sun was setting, and he slept until dusk, when he groggily sat up from the bed.
Seeing Ash and Brock still sound asleep, he woke them up, then knocked on Xiao Xia's door. The group met up and left the Pokémon Center together.
By this time, the entire City was completely enveloped in the festive atmosphere of the festival.
Countless people in elaborate costumes followed behind floats, moving through the City, and amidst the laughter and Joy, whether residents of the City or travelers like Xia You, everyone's mood became much happier.