Chapter 15
	
	Ash Ketchum rarely swore. His mother had taught him from an early age that 
cussing was immoral and flat out rude.
	However, at this moment, immorality and rudeness were the least of his concerns.
	“Dammit. . . dammit. . . dammit. . .” Ash chanted the curse under his breath. 
Pallet Town’s southern docks were crawling with police.
	“Damn,” Ash hissed once more. He was crouched uncomfortably behind a large 
bush. *I knew the police were going to be ON Cinnabar Island. I didn’t think they’d be 
patrolling the docks too.*
	Ash scowled in silence. *I guess it figures. . . Route 21 is the only sure way to 
Cinnabar.*
	The blazing sun was beginning to set over the horizon of ocean waves. The water 
was normally a varying shade of translucent blue or sheer green in color -- only tonight 
was bizarrely different. Perhaps it was the manner in which the scarlet light coated the 
waters . . . the results of such an intense sunset reflecting back at the heavens . . .?
	  No matter what the natural reasoning, the sea looked undeniably like blood. 
	Ash observed the crimson sphere slowly sinking into the sea. The sun itself 
looked as though it were inevitably drowning.
	Ash felt anxious. The gruesome beast was conceivably waiting for night fall . . . 
and that meant the clock was ticking.
	*The police will never let me get near Cinnabar.*
	 Ash eyed his little row boat. It was less than thirty feet away, tied to the Ketchum 
family dock. *If only there was a way to get to my boat. . . I don’t need to get on 
Cinnabar . . .  just close enough. . .*
	Ash began crawling on all fours through the moist sand. He moved meticulously, 
determined to stay hidden behind the shrubbery. 
	“I feel like Team Rocket,” he grumbled.
	He was hoping that perchance there was another small rowboat further down the 
shore. Maybe one in an area less guarded.
	Ash had no such luck. Police were everywhere . . . and they were heavily armed. 
Most were holding multiple Pokeballs, no doubt containing extremely powerful Pokemon 
like Tyranitar’s and Dragontie’s. However, many police officers were handling guns.
	The police were all on edge; none even making small talk. All sets of eyes 
focused on the island in the distance . . . where Jasmine was.
	*It’s no use. . .* Ash felt his face boil with frustration. *If I even move an inch 
closer I’ll be noticed . . . probably be shot. That would just-*
	A freezing squirt of water suddenly pelted Ash in the cheek. He locked his jaw, 
striving to stop a startled cry from springing lose. Ash’s eyes darted warily about the 
beach.
	“What was that?” he didn’t see anything. Ash scratched his head. 
	Out of the blue, another arctic spray struck him -- this time point-blank in the left 
eye. Ash spun completely around, straining his eyes against the impending darkness.
	There, behind him, hunched amongst the bushes was Gary’s Blastoise.
	Blastoise cocked his head inquisitively at Ash.
	“Blastoise?” Ash whispered, genuinely perplexed. “What are YOU doing here?”
	Gary’s mighty turtle Pokemon sighed with blunt irritation; slowly inching 
backwards . . . father away from the shore of police.
	“Now where are you going?” Ash instinctively turned around followed Blastoise 
through the bushes.
	 Blastoise moved surprisingly quick on all fours, Ash was scrambling like mad 
just to keep up. Branches continually snapped Ash in the face as Blastoise proceeded 
onward ahead of him.
	After several moments, Blastoise stopped. He stood up to his full monstrous 
height. He had led Ash into a small clearing -- one surrounded on all sides by dozens of 
Apricorn trees. 
	“Blastoise,” Ash began, letting his concern be evident. “You shouldn’t be outside. 
Go back to Professor Oak’s right away.”
	Blastoise actually rolled his eyes with utter annoyance.
	“Hey!” Ash did not appreciate Blastoise acting like Gary. “I’m not kidding. Gary 
would kill me if anything happened to you!”
	Ash’s words touched a nerve. Blastoise snarled, exposing his rugged white teeth. 
“Blaaaasssst,” he grouched.
	Ash shook his head, clearly flustered by Blastoise’s unruliness.
	“Blaaaast,” the water Pokemon bend down and lifted something out of the bushes 
. . . it was Gary’s leather belt . . . with six Pokeball’s adjoined.
	Blastoise tenderly handed the belt to Ash. 
	Ash accepted it skeptically, examining the Pokeballs. 
	“Blastoise, I’m going to bring these back to Professor Oak,” Ash stated.
	Blastoise stomped his foot with agitated refusal. 
	Before Ash could even object, Blastoise picked him up, squeezing firmly. Ash 
gulped, he was now gaping directly into the enormous burning eyes of Gary’s toughest 
Pokemon. 
	At first Ash trembled at the sparks of rage. . . but then, as he peered deeper, Ash 
could not only see - but feel - an inexpressible sense of loss, of loneliness. . .of love and 
devotion. 
	Ash’s heart wrenched. He relaxed slightly against Blastoise’s grip. “You are as 
determined as I am to get Gary back,” Ash sighed. “Well . . .do you have any ideas?”
	Relief and pure bliss shimmered in Blastoise’s dark eyes. He hugged Ash tightly 
against his solid reptilian body.
	“Blast,” Blastoise claimed.
	Ash knew that that ‘Blast’ sincerely meant ‘thank you’.
	Ash glanced down at the Pokeballs in his hand. Gary had fondly labeled each ball 
. . .“Let’s see: Arcanine, Sizor, Magmar, Umbreon, and Nidoking.” Ash shrugged, eyeing 
Blastoise. “Are you sure they all want to do this?”
	Blastoise gave a conclusive bow.
	Ash fastened Gary’s belt securely around his own waist. 
	He paused for a moment as a curious feeling overcame him. Ash felt . . . odd 
wearing someone else’s Pokeballs . . . especially Gary’s. 
	Ash was bustling with admiration for Gary’s loyal Pokemon. But mostly he was 
extraordinarily proud that they had chosen to follow HIM.
	Ash smiled assuredly to himself, then blushed slightly when he noticed Blastoise 
staring down at him blankly.
	Snorting with sudden amusement Blastoise shook his head, and then headed back 
towards to the docks. 
	“Wait up!” Ash called, jogging to catch up with Blastoise again. “We can’t go this 
way, don’t you see the police?”
	Blastoise glared at Ash, the look certainly meant ‘shut up’.
	Blastoise stood still now; he was intently staring at something. Ash followed his 
gaze. 
	“All I see are police.” 
	Blastoise grunted. Ash was somewhat glad that Blastoise could not speak like 
Meowth could . . .  he had a feeling that Blastoise would be insulting him more than Gary 
use to.
	Blastoise began walking again, this time very slowly -- he was careful to stay 
concealed by the trees. Ash shadowed him, still unsure of the game plan.
	They finally reached a small area of the shore that was being patrolled only by 
two officers. Blastoise bent down and lifted a large stone. 
	The very hand of God may as well have hurled that stone -- for it rocketed 
completely out of sight . . . and generated one dynamite splash!
	The two officers bounced with alarm, then darted the direction of the noise. It was 
thoroughly dark now; the police had to shine their flashlights on the water.
	During this invaluably concise moment, Blastoise seized Ash in his arms and 
plunged head first into the squishy sand. Blastoise began digging with supernatural speed 
and ability.
	 Blastoise maneuvered soundlessly, his narrow tunnel growing longer by the 
second.
	 Ash gasped in distress. Sharp dirt particles and short roots sliced into his skin. He 
was now moving at Blastoise’s top speed -- tunneling roughly under the bitterly chilled 
earth. Grime stung his eyes and got imbedded his teeth. . . Ash was horrified! He couldn’t 
breath.
	Suddenly glacial water was encasing him. In spite of the numbing climate Ash 
forced his eyes open. He was certainly no longer underground . . . but, rather, moving 
underwater -- and it seemed exceeding lightning speed.
	Ash began to feel woozy; he hadn’t prepared to go underwater. He hadn’t 
managed to suck in a breath to hold.
	Blastoise sensed this; he relaxed slightly, letting his giant body float towards the 
surface. Blastoise only allowed his own eyes above the water. His eyes were guardedly 
surveying the surface. 
	Blastoise had already swam a good two miles from Pallet Town’s docks.
	 The pair was unseen as of yet, but time was slipping away quickly. Blastoise 
gently raised Ash’s head above the water. Ash sputtered and gagged wildly, hungrily 
sucking in mouthfuls of oxygen.
	“A-Are you c-crazy?” Ash gasped. “I-I’m not a-a water P-Poke-m-mon!”
	Blastoise blinked apologetically.
	 Searchlights began flashing frantically on the shore. . . Ash skimmed his location. 
	“Wow,” Ash marveled, shivering. “G-Gary sure did train you w-well. Your s-
speed is incredible!”
	Blastoise grunted in agreement. He was apparently about as modest as his trainer 
was.
	Once Blastoise had decided that Ash had gotten sufficient air, he plunged 
downward again into the arctic waves. This time Ash was ready, he inhaled deeply filling 
his lungs to their maximum capacity. 
	Blastoise zoomed onward, veiled completely by the formidable waves.
	Every few moments Blastoise would surface, and Ash would gobble down fresh 
air.
	Soon Blastoise’s pace dramatically declined. He and Ash both poked their faces 
above the flourishing waters.
	“Cinnabar.” Ash voiced what both their eyes were studying. They were less than 
half a mile away. “We’ll never get there, Blastoise. Look!” 
	There were more police on Cinnabar Island then there were handfuls of sand. 
Giant search lights were scattered from one corner to the next; Ash identified the profiles 
of at least a dozen Dragonite’s; even a helicopter hovered in the ebony sky.
	Nothing was going to get within a hundred feet of Jasmine . . . the police were 
going to make certain of that.
	“Do you think that beast can even get past all this?” Ash’s voice was doubtful.
	Blastoise glared down at Ash as if to scold him.
	“I guess you’re right. Nothing can stop that thing.” Ash hesitated, he was freezing 
and really needed to get out of the water . . . but going back to Pallet wasn’t an option . . . 
and they couldn’t possibly get any closer to Cinnabar at this moment. “We should wait 
here. That beast is going to come, and probably soon. When it attacks, the police will be 
distracted. That is when we move,” Ash gripped Gary’s belt of Pokeballs firmly. “That is 
when we ALL move.”