Three hours later — the shoreline.
This coast lay in the northeastern part of the Kanto Region, but only Team Rocket and the wealthy passengers who boarded the lifeboats had managed to land.
As for the poorer Trainers…
They'd probably need several more hours—if not longer—to make it ashore.
Fortunately, the journey had been calm. No storms, no major waves.
Hopefully nothing went wrong.
"Well then, Mr. Ash, Miss Blue—until we meet again."
Apollo waved, leading away his crew of thoroughly satisfied villains, having successfully robbed an entire ship full of rich people.
The trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth blended into the crowd. As they left, they sneakily glanced at the Pikachu on Ash's shoulder.
Next time… it'll be our turn.
The future looks bright!
Ash and Blue nodded politely, silently urging them to hurry up and leave.
By now, every rich passenger was glaring at the two of them with hostility.
After all, everyone believed Ash and Blue were the secret illegitimate children of some Team Rocket bigwig.
There was even a chance they'd be reported the moment they reached a town.
Anyone who lost 300 million would be furious.
"Hehe~ We're just innocent bystanders. We don't know Team Rocket at all,"
Blue laughed awkwardly, waving goodbye.
"We support the Hot Rockets instead~"
Finally free of the group, the two prepared to happily continue their journey—
—
"!" "!"
Ash and Blue suddenly froze, turning toward each other in perfect sync, eyes wide.
"By Farfetch'd's leek… did we really forget a flea?!"
They had checked earlier—Gary wasn't among the poor Trainers, and he hadn't boarded the rich lifeboats either.
That guy…
He never made it out.
They rushed back to look at the sea.
The surface was calm. A few Magikarp leapt lazily from the water, simple and carefree.
"…"
Cold sweat poured down both of their faces.
Panicking, they immediately knocked on their own heads.
"Brother Red—emergency, emergency!"
"Sister Blue—emergency, emergency!"
After some frantic mental shouting, the two drunken souls finally stirred within their shared soul-space, groggily asking:
"What's wrong?"
"Gary got stuck on the S.S. Anne. He didn't make it out," Ash said urgently.
"Nice."
"We'll pop champagne some other day~"
The two promptly fell back asleep.
Ash & Blue: "…"
So this is friendship?
Absolutely hilarious.
Piecing together fragmented memories, it seemed the three big shots had taken over while they were asleep to drink together.
Ash and Blue, being as sturdy as Tauros, woke up fully refreshed the next morning.
But Gary—
Years of reckless living had ruined his constitution.
Three hours had passed.
He was probably already at the bottom of the sea by now.
Maybe seaweed had grown as tall as a person around him.
Ash & Blue: "…"
"Waaaah—!!"
At last, Blue couldn't hold it in anymore. She squatted down and burst into tears.
Sure, she often wanted to strangle Gary and scatter his ashes to the wind—
But now that he was really gone, possibly eaten by Sharpedo, an overwhelming grief surged up.
Call it shared sorrow among rivals, or something like that.
"…"
Ash didn't cry aloud, but his tears had already been swallowed back into his chest. His whole body trembled.
Gary was his childhood friend—and his lifelong rival.
Ash always wanted to defeat him, to press him down completely.
But he had never wanted him dead.
He stepped forward and gently patted Blue's shaking shoulder—comforting her, and himself.
The two stared at the sea for a long time, then let out a quiet sigh.
Maybe this ever-rising, ever-falling ocean…
Was the perfect resting place for a wanderer like Gary.
Blue slowly took out a folding steel shovel from her bag and began digging a grave on the spot.
I can't do much for you… but I can at least give you a grave.
Ash joined in silently.
Brock and Misty, though not especially close to Gary, were moved by the grief and helped clear weeds around the mound.
Afterward, Blue pressed down the brim of her hat and gazed toward the sea.
She seemed… more mature now.
"I'm going to travel alone for a bit," she said softly.
"What about you, Fellow Pallet Town trainer?"
Ash clenched his fists, fire blazing in his eyes.
"I'll carry Gary's dream and keep moving forward. I will become a Pokémon Master!"
Both of them had dreamed of becoming the strongest Trainer.
Now that Gary was supposedly feeding the fish—
Ash would become twice as strong, for both of them.
At a crossroads, the four parted ways.
Blue headed west to clear her mind in a small town.
Ash, Brock, and Misty traveled south, toward Saffron City.
They'd heard there was a place called Lavender Town along the way.
They could burn incense for Gary there later.
If the timing was right, it might even be before the seventh day—the first offering.
As they traveled, feeling Ash's grief and battle intent, Red finally stirred.
"?"
Did something happen?
He honestly didn't understand why Ash and Blue were so emotional.
With Green watching over him, even sinking into the Earth's mantle wouldn't kill that guy.
But then Red sensed something, forgot his drunken embarrassment entirely, and suddenly spoke:
"Ash… you really want an enemy to vent your frustration on right now, don't you?"
"Yes!"
"There's a Pokémon covered in spikes. Want to challenge it?"
"A spiky one… is it strong?"
"Uh… it's alright."
Ash instantly felt reassured.
"Perfect! I'll dedicate this battle to Gary! Brother Red, where is it?!"
"Thirty li south," Red replied calmly.
"The Power Plant."
Three hours earlier — within the great whirlpool of the S.S. Anne
Bone-chilling cold and crushing pressure jolted Green awake within the soul.
BOOM—!
The next instant, a Poké Ball at his waist burst open.
A massive, brown, magnificently feathered bird spread its wings, appearing directly within the sea.
The moment it emerged, a greenish barrier flared around its body, blocking the overwhelming pressure of the ocean.
Protect!
Green took control of Gary's body. Though his mind was still hazy from alcohol, he clutched tightly to the Pokémon's feathers.
"Well done, Pidgeot."
This Pidgeot had been borrowed by Red long ago when he went traveling—and never returned.
Green had only reclaimed it last night.
I wonder how it's been trained…
There was no time to dwell on it. Massive whirlpools surged again from all directions.
Protect could only block so much—it wasn't meant to be used continuously.
Just as Green hesitated—
Pidgeot moved first.
Its broad wings, submerged in seawater, remained completely dry. Blue, water-like energy wrapped around them.
"Piiidgeeot!!"
With a powerful beat of its wings, Pidgeot created a counter-rotating vortex within the sea itself.
The momentum was terrifying, rivaling natural disasters.
WHOOSH—!!
Two massive whirlpools spinning in opposite directions collided.
In that clash, the enormous vortex caused by the sinking S.S. Anne was forcibly neutralized.
The sea… became eerily calm.
"Whirlpool…?!" Green stared in disbelief.
Since when could his Pidgeot use that move?!
Wait—
Can Pidgeot even learn Whirlpool?!
Damn it!
What the hell did Red do to my bird?!
No time to argue.
Green shouted immediately:
"Now, Pidgeot! Protect, and break through!"
Protect could be used again now.
Green light flared around Pidgeot, blocking the sea as it beat its wings—
And shot upward.
"Pidgeot!"
In mere seconds, they burst through nearly a hundred meters of seawater and soared back into the sky.
Not a single feather was wet.
Crisis resolved.
Green instantly pulled out the Pokédex and scanned his beloved Pokémon.
He was suddenly very uneasy.
Pidgeot
Nickname: Tool-bird
Owner: Green
Green: "???"
It was supposed to be called "Handsome and Cool Mega-Pidgeot"!!
The Pokédex continued:
Moves: Protect, Defog, Fly, Whirlpool, Tailwind, Cut, Thunder Wave
Green: "???"
He clutched his chest.
This hurts.
What kind of cursed move set was this?!
His Pidgeot was supposed to be a pure-bred physical monster—
Aerial Ace! Steel Wing! Brave Bird! Giga Impact!
"Um… Brother Green," a timid voice spoke up.
"I think I understand now… is this the Pidgeot family's learning path?"
Gary had finally sobered up—only to witness his family bird's ultimate technique.
Green, fuming, immediately relinquished control of the body and went silent.
Gary: "?"
Did I say something wrong?
Why was Brother Green so irritable today?
Not thinking too deeply, Gary patted Pidgeot gently.
"Let's go home."
"Piiidgeeot~"
Pidgeot was a seasoned tool Pokémon, delighted to serve as transportation.
It flew happily, humming all the way.
Two hours later, Gary reached the shore and recalled Pidgeot.
On the beach stood a freshly erected stone marker.
It immediately caught his eye.
The soil around it was newly turned, with no weeds—clearly recent.
He stepped closer to read it.
"The Hometown Flea's Grave"
In memory of Professor Oak's grandson,
Gary Oak,
Who perished at sea.
May he ride the waves,
One wave higher than the last.
— Fellow townsfolk of Pallet Town
Gary: "?"
For some reason…
His chest started to hurt too.
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