After securing the Thunder Badge from the Vermilion Gym, Ash and his group set their sights on Porta Vista. The reason for the rush was simple: that was the designated meeting spot between Ash and Elesa.
The mere thought of seeing Elesa again had Ash in an exceptionally good mood. He walked with a constant, bright smile that made Misty and Giselle exchange looks of utter exasperation.
"Hey, could you maybe dial back the grinning a bit? It's creepy," Giselle muttered.
"Hmm? Sorry, I'm just really happy. Try to bear with me for a bit," Ash replied, though his smile didn't fade an inch.
Misty sighed, looking a bit wistful. "You and Elesa must really have a deep bond, Ash..."
"We do. We've known each other for a long time. Anyway, to get to Porta Vista, we'll need to take a ship—"
BAM!
Before Ash could finish his sentence, two gals in heavy makeup and flamboyant outfits practically teleported into their path. Ash's radiant mood evaporated instantly. His face went flat and numb as he recognized the high-pitched, poorly disguised voices of Jessie and James.
"CONGRATULATIONS! You all look like incredibly lucky people~!" Jessie chirped in a high, nasal tone.
"Super lucky~!" James added, striking a pose.
Ash's hand slowly drifted toward his bag, his eyes glowing with a faint, dangerous red light beneath the brim of his hat. He was mentally calculating if he could fit a brick into his palm without them noticing.
"And what exactly is this luck you're talking about?" Ash asked, his voice dropping into a low, icy register.
Sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, the duo hurried to produce their bait. "We have free tickets to a luxury cruise for you lucky winners!" Jessie shouted, thrusting four gold-embossed tickets forward.
The tickets were for the SS. Anne.
Misty looked them over, her eyes widening. "The SS. Anne? I have a model of that ship at home. It's supposed to be one of the most luxurious vessels in the world."
"Ooh! You're very well-informed, little lady!" Jessie squealed. "For being such an expert, we're giving you these four tickets for free! We look forward to seeing you there!"
Without waiting for a rejection, they shoved the tickets into Ash's hands and skipped away.
Ash stared at the tickets, then at the retreating forms of Team Rocket. "What do you guys think?"
"I'll follow your lead, Ash," Misty said. "You usually have a plan."
"Whatever," Giselle added with a shrug. "You're the one leading the way, Miser."
Brock, meanwhile, was still staring in the direction the gals had run. "What beautiful, mature ladies..."
The group eventually made their way to the docks where the SS. Anne was moored. Misty, Brock, and Giselle gasped at the sheer scale of the golden-white cruise liner. "It really is magnificent!"
Hidden in the nearby bushes, the Rocket trio was buzzing with excitement.
"Success! They took the bait!"
"I told you my gal-disguise was flawless!" James bragged.
WHAM! Jessie silenced him with a swift punch to the head. "Shut up and keep moving! We have a heist to prepare!"
However, they didn't hear Ash's reaction as he stood at the foot of the gangplank. He looked at the ship with a face full of genuine disappointment.
"Tch. I thought it was going to be something special," Ash muttered, turning his back on the ship. "Forget this. Follow me. We're going to use my ship."
"Your ship?!" The three of them shouted in unison.
As the group turned to leave, a young girl wearing a straw hat and an oversized yellow ponytail froze. She stared at Ash's departing back, then at the Pikachu perched on his shoulder. She looked down at the ticket in her hand and then back at the boy.
"Chu-Chu," She whispered to the Pikachu sitting in her arms. "Is that... Ash?"
"Pika!" (The Pikachu nodded, sniffing the air—it recognized the scent of Ash's Pikachu immediately.)
The girl's eyes lit up with pure joy. "That's wonderful! If Ash is here, we have to go find him, Chu-Chu!"
"Pika-pika!"
The blonde girl adjusted her hat and began weaving through the crowd, determined to catch up to the four of them.
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