After spending the night resting at the Pokémon Center, Kael boarded the S.S. Anne early the next morning. He had been allowed to embark for free under the guise of applying for a security position, so he didn't use the ticket given to him by that beautiful girl.
Including Kael, there were only four bounty hunters who had come to apply.
One was a burly bald man wearing a sleeveless vest.
Another was a sharp-featured young man with a sly, ratlike look.
The third was a woman in tight leather—curvy and striking in figure, though her face was fairly ordinary, giving off the air of a mature, battle-hardened "big sister."
"Everyone, please wait here for a moment," said a young sailor dressed in uniform as he led them into a lounge. "The captain will be here shortly."
After escorting them inside, he closed the door and left.
The four exchanged brief glances but said nothing, each seemingly contemplating the mission ahead. Only the leather-clad woman gave Kael a teasing wink.
Tap. Tap.
The sound of heavy boots echoed closer from outside. The lounge doors were suddenly flung open, and an elderly man with a white beard—nearly two meters tall—strode in with commanding presence.
"Let me introduce myself," the old man said in a deep, resonant voice. "Name's Hardwin. I'm the captain of the S.S. Anne."
"Hand over your Elite Trainer certification cards. I need to verify them."
Everyone present was sharp enough to read the situation. The captain's tone was rough, but this man would be their superior for the coming week. For bounty hunters, as long as the pay was good, an employer's attitude didn't matter one bit.
"No problem."
The sailor with the laptop glanced at Captain Hardwin, who nodded.
"Very well," Hardwin said, looking over the group. "I hereby announce that all four of you are hired by the S.S. Anne. Originally, I planned to recruit five external security personnel, but only four showed up."
"As for compensation—you already know the terms. Twenty-five thousand a day. All onboard facilities are free to use. One-week contract."
"If nothing happens, you'll be getting paid handsomely to enjoy a free cruise. But let me make one thing clear—if any emergency occurs, I expect every last ounce of effort from you. Otherwise, don't blame me for being harsh."
"Captain, rest assured," the sharp-featured young man spoke up eagerly. "We all have professional ethics. Right, everyone?"
...
Silence followed.
The bald brute, the leather-clad woman, and Kael all ignored him completely.
While talking, the young man's eyes never left the woman in leather. That unmistakable lecherous expression made Kael find the scene mildly amusing.
"That's enough," Captain Hardwin said, waving his hand to cut him off. "Maren, take them to their rooms. And notify the first mate and senior officers—I'm calling an emergency meeting."
"Yes, sir!"
The same sailor who had received them earlier smiled politely and led the way out.
Seeing they were clearly being dismissed, the four followed suit and left the lounge.
"Well, you're quite young. How old are you?"
As they walked, the woman in the leather jacket accidentally brushed Kael's shoulder while moving past him.
"I'm Lisa," she said casually. "Nice to meet you."
Kael scratched the back of his head, putting on an easy, slightly awkward smile.
"Kael. I'm fifteen."
"Oh?" Lisa looked surprised. "Fifteen and you've already passed the Elite Trainer certification? That's impressive—you must be very talented."
"I… I just passed it in Vermilion City," Kael replied, a little embarrassed by the praise.
"My room's 902," Lisa added as they reached the corner. "If you need anything during the voyage, feel free to stop by."
She gave him a friendly wave and disappeared around the turn.
"Tch…"
At some point, the sharp-featured young man had sidled up beside Kael, shaking his head with a grin.
"Man, you kids these days are something else. Elite Trainer at fifteen—unbelievable. If I had half your talent back then, I wouldn't still be chasing jobs like this."
Still talking to himself, he looked up—only to find Kael already heading down the corridor ahead.
"Hey! Wait up—don't walk so fast!"
...
Conference Room
"Captain Hardwin… is what you said really true?"
A portly, middle-aged man with a shiny bald crown spoke anxiously.
"Is Team Rocket really planning something against the S.S. Anne?"
"I don't know the specifics," Hardwin replied coldly, not even glancing at him. "But according to our intel, there are already Team Rocket operatives onboard."
"To avoid causing panic among the passengers, we haven't conducted a large-scale search."
"Why not?!" another executive slammed the table and stood up angrily.
"Captain Hardwin, do you understand what kind of losses we'll suffer if Team Rocket sabotages the ship?!"
Bang!
Hardwin slammed his massive palm onto the table, instantly silencing the man, who shrank back in fear.
"I am the captain of the S.S. Anne. What happens here is my call."
"F-Fine… but if anything goes wrong, you'll take full responsibility," the executive muttered weakly.
Captain Hardwin lit his pipe, took a deep puff, and continued:
"I've already informed the Pokémon League. They're taking this situation very seriously."
"They've dispatched several inspectors to assist us. League orders are clear—before, during, and after the investigation, no one is to alert the enemy."
"Anyone who does will be treated as a Team Rocket accomplice."
"Now, let me introduce someone."
He gestured to a young man beside him, dressed in a crisp suit with shoulder-length hair.
"This gentleman is the Chief Inspector of the Special Operations Unit."
The young man stopped twirling the pencil in his hand and looked up, revealing a foxlike face. His eyes narrowed into thin slits as he smiled.
"My name is Renard," he said calmly.
"Pleasure to work with you."