Chapter 7: Deceit on the Bounty

	Silent communication passed between the eight souls present.  They had a 
plan, a cunning escape, and Vinetra wouldn't be able to catch them.  They just 
didn't know what it was.  "James!  Can't you fly somewhere and find a way out?" 
Misty asked.  His face fell and he turned around, to reveal his still dripping 
wings and tail.  "Nope," he answered bluntly.  Jessie gasped and gathered the 
wet clump of feathers into her hands.  "James!  We've got to dry those out!  
You'll ruin them if you don't," she said beginning to wring the water out.  "Let 
me know if I hurt you, okay?" she added.  James nodded and began working on his 
tail while Jessie worked at his wings.  She reached the crests of them and 
smoothed them straight, water dripping from her hands to the floor.  She lifted 
her hands back up and paused for a moment, her fingertips brushing his hair 
briefly.  She took it and gently wrung it out.  James turned around and smiled, 
shaking his head and sending a fine mist of water splashing onto his friend.

	Ash smiled at them and turned back to the rest of the group.  He opened 
his mouth to speak, but was cut off by laughter booming across the labyrinth.  
"Well, so you managed to find the secret of my lovely trap, but you'll never get 
it out alive!" Vinetra's insidious laughter made a chill run up and back down 
the boy's spine.  

	There was a loud crash and the group whirled around to watch a pathway 
flatten mysteriously.  At the end, there was a small glimmering point of light.  
James stood suddenly looking anxiously toward the light.  He closed his eyes and 
a small breeze tossed his wet blue hair gently.  "The wind!" he exclaimed 
cheerfully.  Jessie stood and gripped his shoulder anxiously.  "It's a trap, it 
has to be," she said.  Meowth turned and his tail dropped in terror.  A 
monstrous shadow loomed menacingly above him, falling over him and all present. 
"Right one more time Jess," he whispered.  She turned around and froze to the 
spot.  "Jessie?  What's wr-" James also froze when he saw the thing behind them.

	Ash swallowed hard, and slowly turned around, looming behind them, was a 
monster of deadly proportions.  It looked like a gigantic lizard, the aspect of 
hunting and killing the only things that gave it joy.  "You'll provide an 
amusing toy for him!" Vinetra informed them.  "Great," Brock muttered.  The 
snarling beast flicked a long tongue out, tasting the air.  When the scent of 
fresh prey reached its nostrils, the massive head snapped down and the crimson 
eyes narrowed.  "Run!" Ash cried and took off down the path.

	When his sharp warning had finally sunk into the skulls of everyone else, 
the turned sharply and sped after him.  The lizard sat on his haunches, and 
waited.  Waited for just the right moment for pursuit, they'd never escape from 
him.

	Ash ran, he ran not in fear, but in terror, clutching his precious cargo 
to his side.  "Everyone still have the scrolls?" he called between labored 
breaths.  "Yeah!" he heard someone call.  He didn't care who it was, just as 
long as the scrolls were still with them.  The point of light at the end of the 
ivy path slowly began to increase in size and the boy only ran harder.  
Unexpectedly, the ground lurched as a violent wave of energy rippled through it, 
disrupting the rest of the ancient stones.  Ash tripped and fell forward, 
sliding a few feet.  He cried out in pain as he felt someone else land on top of 
him.  He opened his eyes and sighed in frustration as he shoved Misty off of his 
back.  "Sorry," she whispered.  "Don't worry about it," he replied standing back 
up.

	He looked back down the path from whence the disturbance had come and the 
light was blotted momentarily from his vision as the lizard creature plummeted 
from the sky and landed directly in front of him.  Saliva dripped menacingly 
from his partially open jowls and it eyed Ash hungrily.  "Nice lizard," he 
soothed nervously.  "Ash, we've got to get out of here!" Brock said quietly, 
never moving his lips, afraid the beast would strike if he moved.

	The group didn't dare to move, the beast's muscles rippling in 
anticipation beneath the slick skin.  "Don't move," Ash whispered cupping his 
hand behind his back.  He felt the heat begin to gather and he closed his eyes 
in concentration.  The lizard crouched, eager to break the disquieting stalemate 
and narrow its eyes.  "Ash, hurry up!" Misty hissed fearfully.  He closed his 
fingers feeling the molten energy in his hand mold like wet clay under his grip.  
The heat rose and he brought it high above his head, the light burning with a 
blinding intensity.  "On the count of three run!" he exclaimed and hurled the 
fireball at the beast's ominous stature. 

	It hit with a bright explosion of embers and flames and the lizard reeled 
back in pain.  It crashed to the ground clutching at its face as the putrid odor 
of seared flesh filled the room.  It lay silent and unmoving, perplexing Ash.  
"Is it?" Jessie queried as the smoke cleared.  "I...I don't know," James 
replied.  The dragon twitched slightly and they were instantly in each other's 
arms, just as they had so many times before that when they'd been frightened.  
"I wouldn't count on it," Riley muttered from Ash's shoulder.  As if in 
response, the lizard dug its claws into the hard stone, which crushed easily 
under the impeccably strong grip and rose in an instant from the ground, howling 
viciously.  Ash screamed in terror and fled over his shoulder quickly.  "Three!  
Three!" he yelled over the deafening roars of the injured monster.

	Ash would've laughed at the shrill shrieks of terror from Jessie and 
especially James, had he himself not been utterly terrified as well.  They ran, 
each sensing the horrendous beast's presence getting closer and closer behind 
them.  "Run, Ash!  Run!" Riley screeched into his ear and coiled himself about 
his head.  Ash brushed the annoying creature away from his eyes and directed 
them towards the now visible end of the path.  The Lizard took a leap forward, 
narrowly missing Brock who ran near the back.

	Ash clenched his teeth and increased his speed, aiming for the savior of 
the light at his final destination.  There was a sudden brilliant flash of 
light, blinding the boy momentarily and he stopped.  None too soon, for he found 
himself on the very edge of a steep cliff, which plummeted down to the ocean 
below.  There was a small gathering of jagged rocks, clinging to each other 
longingly and creating an inescapable situation for the heroes. 

	Ash felt the color drain from his face as he spotted several completely 
white sun-bleached skeletons impaled grotesquely upon the sharp fabrication.  
There was a small line of white where the beach was just visible, but that was 
the only safety line they had, they were trapped.  

	Ash whirled around and stared straight into the eyes of the lizard.  One 
had been seared shut by his flame, the other stared him down menacingly.  "Looks 
like the end of the road, or should I say cliff," Ash muttered.  The lizard 
seemed to smile as his prey finally realized their fate and flicked the long 
tongue out, tasting each carefully, taking a painfully long time to decide who 
to devour first.  "I'll always remember how nicely you kept your hair!" James 
wailed sinking to his knees with Jessie.  "So will I!" she sobbed back.  Ash 
rolled his eyes, recognizing the familiar lines.  "Will you guys cut it out!?" 
He snapped quietly, "we can figure a way out of this, okay, now, we probably 
can't defeat it with our limited powers, and we've got no way to escape so-" 
"We're doomed" Misty and Brock answered simultaneously.  "Definitely," Ash 
replied.

	James gritted his teeth and looked away sharply.  He could've helped in 
this situation, but his wings were still useless.  He tried one furtively, but 
it hung limply with the added weight of the water.  He shook it briefly, and a 
small showering of crystalline droplets spattered to the warm ground.  He smiled 
vaguely, he'd probably injure himself badly with the strain of flying, but he 
had to try.  He wouldn't stand there and be killed when he could've done 
something about it.  "Hang on Jessie," he whispered putting his arm around her 
waist.  "James?  What on earth?" she replied.  He held a finger to his lips to 
silence her and stood fully erect as Jessie put her arm around his shoulders.  
Brock was the nearest person, so in a rapid flash of cerulean feathers, James 
had gathered both comrades and dove off the cliff, opening his wings to their 
full length a mere few feet from the rocks.

	An upward gust caught them and he sailed easily to the beach.  The lizard 
roared and bared its fangs as it watched valuable prey disappear where it could 
not follow.  James set Jessie and Brock safely on the beach and gritted his 
teeth in pain as the wings which were much to heavy to attempt flying, resisted 
what his muscles told them to do.  He felt them and the joints pull with the 
weight, but he forced them on.

	Misty drew her sword and slashed at the beast's tongue as it lunged for 
them and snatched Meowth into her arms, awaiting James' return.  Ash picked 
Pikachu up and leaned over the edge.  James swooped swiftly over the rocky edge 
and landed haphazardly, dizzy with the pain of his aching wings.  He reoriented 
himself, and dove back off the cliff.  He cried out, this time in sheer agony as 
he was forced to open his injured wings one last time.  He faltered, unable to 
stay aloft any longer and dropped to the beach releasing Ash and Misty.

	He curled into a small ball, squeezing his eyes shut with pain as his two 
passengers scrambled from his arms.  "James!  What's wrong?" Ash cried concerned 
and knelt by his side.  "Shouldn't have flown," James groaned.  Ash noticed his 
wings sprawled out behind him, and was concerned he hadn't pulled them back in 
yet.  "He's hurt," Jessie said and knelt by him as well.  She picked him up and 
cradled him in her arms tenderly.  "The...The water was too heavy for me, I 
think I sprained them pretty badly," James whispered.  Jessie gently brushed a 
few feathers away from the joint closest to James back and rubbed it lightly.  
He flinched and protested slightly and Jessie shook her head sadly.  They were 
already swollen.  "It'll help if you get them into a natural position," she said 
and gently picked up one of the glossy blue wings.  James screamed in pain as 
she folded it carefully back into its natural position.  She did the same with 
the other and James was able to keep them there.  She gently helped him to his 
feet, letting him lean against her for support.

	The lizard-beast cautiously put a foot over the edge, lusting for its 
prey.  A few rocks tumbled down and broke on the rocks, startling the group 
below.  They glanced up and stared straight into the single eye left of the 
monster.  They looked frightened and ran, disappearing behind an outcropping of 
rock, then they were gone.  The beast howled in defeat and slunk back into the 
labyrinth.

	"That was close," Riley breathed.  Ash nodded.  "Now what?" Brock asked 
after a long pause.  "I don't think James here is going to be able to stand much 
longer," Misty mused motioning to her wounded comrade.  He smiled vaguely and 
shrugged, careful not to move his wings.  Jessie's ears pricked up suddenly and 
she leaned into the wind, listening intently.  "Hear something Jessie?" Meowth 
asked.  She nodded.  "Sounds like, I...I honestly don't know," she said 
frowning.  "A sail," Brock replied.  Jessie cocked her head to one side 
thoughtfully and nodded.  "Yeah that's it!  How'd you know?" she asked.  Brock 
pointed silently out farther along the shoreline, where a small white dot was 
barely visible.

	Ash brightened and pointed towards it as well.  "A ship!  Maybe they can 
get us out of here!" he said excitedly.  "Can you make it?" Jessie asked James.  
He was rather pale, but he nodded silently and let Jessie help him as they 
started off towards the mere dot on the horizon.

	The sun was sinking low in the valleys of the mountain range where the 
huge stone palace of Vinetra they had just exited, and they fled in fear that 
she might come after them.  Escape had come much too easily in their minds, and 
they were convinced she was watching them carefully like a hawk.  Their every 
move, under surveillance, nothing could be done in secrecy.  They didn't know 
how correct they were in their assumptions.

	Thorangon slunk tentatively into the throne room and bowed submissively at 
Vinetra's feet.  "Your highness, the prisoners eluded the Lizarez, they've 
escaped," he muttered quietly.  "Oh I know, they'll never make it off this 
island," she said examining a perfect pink fingernail.  The rose-dragon looked 
confused.  "What do you mean?" he asked.  Vinetra rolled her eyes with a wide 
grin on her face and chuckled in contempt.  "Foolish beast they're headed across 
the Neonthian sea!" she said joyously.  Thorangon brightened at this information 
and grinned, showing several rows of sharp teeth.  "Very good my mistress, very 
good indeed!" he roared falling to the soft red carpet with laughter.  Vinetra 
snickered quietly and chewed the end of her fingernail.  "They're not the seven 
great powers, there's nothing to worry about," she thought to herself and smiled 
wickedly.  Her tyrannical reign would not end at the hand of a vagabond group of 
children.  She had much more power than that, much more, and the group was yet 
to see the full effect of it.

*  *  *

	It was nightfall before the group of weary travelers reached the ship, and 
they stood in its grotesquely elongated shadow that was nearly faded from view 
with the waning of the rosy light from the sinking sun.  It was an old vessel, 
its hull stained with green moss and the effects of being in the water for 
unfathomable amounts of time.  The figurehead at the bow was of a fearsome 
looking dragon, much the same as Thorangon had looked, its fangs bared and claws 
menacingly outstretched.  The groups eyes left the carving and wandered up to 
the cabins at the top.  The captain's quarters, obviously the best kept, was at 
the very front, its bright paneled glass windows flickering warmly with 
firelight.  The bleached white sails hung limply at the masts, strapped down for 
a peaceful night anchored near shore.  They flapped gently in the cool night 
breeze, theirs, and the sound of the ocean lapping gently at the wooden sides of 
the ship and the rocky shore, were the only sounds present.

	"Well, should I knock?" Ash asked with a smirk.  "Don't be dumb, let's 
just call up to them," Misty snapped.  "That's stupid, they won't be able to 
hear us," Brock said crossing his arms across his chest.  "Got any better 
ideas?" Pikachu asked setting the scroll he still held in his paws on the 
ground.  "Ahoy there!  May I be of some assistance to ye?"  The group looked up 
at the gruff voice coming from the deck of the ship and saw a withered old man 
hanging over it, his elbows resting jauntily upon the head of the dragon.

	They looked down into each other's eyes and shrugged.  "Yes sir, we need 
to get off of this island!" Ash called through cupped hands.  "Sit tight me 
hearties!  I'll have ye up 'ere in a splash!" the man said and disappeared 
beneath the edge of the ship.  A small compartment flung open suddenly and a 
long wooden plank was thrust upon the ground.  A small cloud of sandy dust rose 
from where wood had collided with the ground, and a tall lanky man appeared from 
the bowels of the ship.

	He carried a tri-pointed hat in his hands, with a squalid white feather 
protruding gallantly out towards the back.  He wore a red buttoned coat, with 
two ragged tails covering his tan knickers, which in turn, stopped at his knee 
where the black boots began.  His hair was a light blond, cropped shoulder 
length, with a thin, yet oddly charming blond moustache.  He had a sweeping 
forehead with thin golden eyebrows arching over sea blue eyes that jumped and 
danced articulately when he spoke to them.  "Ah, good evening, an' welcome to 
the good ship Virtue!" he proclaimed bowing garishly.  "Thank you, I hope you 
don't mind us staying with you sir," Misty said politely as she stepped up to 
the plank.  The man took her hand and kissed the back of it lightly.  "Tis a 
pleasure Me'lady.  Please, call me Captain Roker," he said.  

	Roker's eyes followed Misty as she entered the ship, noting in particular 
the tail and fins.  His thin lips curled into a wry smile and he turned to the 
rest of the travelers.  He was practically dripping with charm and elegance as 
he welcomed them with another bow to his 'humble' abode.  "All aboard now!" he 
called cheerfully and waved the rest of the passengers onto the ship.  When they 
were safely within his realm, he pulled up the plank and shut the door.  He 
gripped the gargantuan metal bolt that held the door in place and with a loud 
groan and a forceful push, he had it back in place.  He brushed his hand off on 
his coat and walked onto the upper deck to take his new cargo to their rooms.

	The group stood looking out at the boundless ocean, glittering in the 
oversized moon's light.  Aradain had two moons they had noticed, one was a deep 
crimson, and hung lazily near the horizon at all times, the other was a huge, 
silver disk, flecked with odd patches of an iridescent green.  They were more 
beautiful than any night sky object they'd ever seen back home.  Their world was 
one of advancement.  You could barely walk a mile into untouched forest until 
you chanced upon yet another town.  There was no real adventure left in Pokemon 
training.  Even Ash had been slightly depressed before the Periwinkle village 
incident.  He had begun to believe there was nothing for him to achieve in his 
former world, nothing left for him to do. 

	He empathized with Jessie, James, and Meowth.  They were not unlike him at 
all.  They'd just taken the wrong way out.  All they had ever wanted, as well as 
Ash, was to be somebody.  They refused to be beaten down by the world and become 
just regular people, they had an insatiable yearning to know and be known.  Ash 
had chosen Pokemon training, the most ethical way he thought of to make a name 
for himself.  Jessie and James chose to make themselves live in infamy, which, 
like Ash, they had failed miserably at.  He remembered his bitter defeat at the 
Pokemon league, sixteenth place.  He scowled at the words, mulling them over in 
his mind as the ship lurched to go out to sea.

	His heart just hadn't been into Pokemon training after that, his spirit 
had been crushed.  He thought of his many battles and wondered whatever had 
become of his Pokemon.  Thinking he was going to return to the inn after 
visiting the shop, he had foolishly and carelessly left them behind.  Apparently 
so had Brock and Misty, for they had never mentioned them since arriving in 
Aradain.  

	The thought of the new world brought the words of Vinetra back to his 
mind.  Both she and her vile pet dragon had told him that the group wasn't the 
seven great powers.  He reached to his tunic he now wore instead of the black 
shirt and blue jacket and pulled out the scroll.  It seemed to glow faintly and 
he smiled at it.  He turned it over to find the seal.  It was a dull gray, which 
looked as if it had once been a brilliant blue and Ash reluctantly slid his 
finger beneath it.  The wave pattern that had been stamped into the wax crumbled 
under the pressure and the ancient document unfurled.  Ash looked at the neatly 
written script, but it was in an ancient language that he guessed had faded with 
time.  "Riley?" he asked holding the scroll up to the dragon perched on his 
shoulder.  "Hmmm?  Oh!  Want me to read it for you?" he asked.  Ash nodded.  
Riley settled into a more comfortable sitting position, took the yellowed scroll 
from the boy, cleared his throat loudly and began to read. 

	"The deception begins, where the trust ends.  The messengers will seek out 
the seven powers.  Battles are long and difficult, but strength will overcome, 
hear now, the Legends of the Tide."

	"It is said, when the crimson moon rises, framed with silver, it shall in 
turn bring the red tides.  When the red water taste the sweetness of the shore, 
then he will come.  The monster of legends old, he brings not destruction, but a 
lust for battle.  Battle him, and death will result.  There is but one soul who 
is destined to defeat him, and then, the world will be one small step closer to 
freedom, and they will all rejoice in one voice, crying out above the clouds, 
singing for their lost heroes once more."

	Riley scratched his head and shrugged.  "Sorry kid, not a clue what that 
means," he said and leap onto the railing of the ship.  They'd set out to sea 
now, Vinetra's palace growing smaller and smaller on the now black horizon.  He 
sighed and felt his stomach lurch with anxiety.  "Why would she let us go so 
easily?" he thought to himself.  He frowned deeply as the wind tossed his gently 
flaming hair about his face, embers floating lazily away in the warm ocean 
breeze.  He turned around, letting the slick wooden railing rest in the small of 
his back, and wrapped his tail around one of the posts.  He stood there, 
watching the sea crash against the wooden hull as they picked up speed farther 
out in the Neonthian sea.

*  *  *

	Roker slunk into his quarters furtively where several of his most trusted 
crewmembers waited.  "You wanted to see us sir?" a young girl asked.  He smiled 
at her, and laid a hand on her shoulder.  "Yes me dear Raine, I did," he said 
coolly.  He walked over to the lavishly decorated dining area he had set apart 
for himself and motioned broadly to an ancient painting that hung above the long 
table.  "I do believe my comrades, that the object of my affection, has finally 
arrived!" he said grinning broadly.  The two men that stood silently fell to the 
floor in raucous laughter.  Roker placed his hands upon his hips indignantly and 
gazed at his beautiful painting once more.

	The rock, the ocean, the sun, maiden, all aspects of it were perfect.  She 
sat upon the rock, which lay in the ocean, the red disk of the sun sinking 
lazily and heavily below the ocean's horizon.  The girl looked somewhat like a 
mermaid, but she had legs, and odd looking fins extending from her skull.  
Nevertheless, she was the most beautiful girl the Captain had ever seen in his 
life.  "You mean you've actually found your mermaid?" Raine asked raising an 
eyebrow.  Roker sighed dreamily and nodded, staring at the picture once more.  
"That girl Misty that came aboard today, she's a bloody mermaid, and she will be 
mine," he said.

	Raine was a young girl, and had always be jealous of Roker's obsession 
with the painting.  She had long indigo hair, which she kept pulled back with a 
gold clasp.  Green eyes peered out from the darkly tanned skin, which was also 
shown off beautifully by her midriff length top and short skirt.  She wore low 
leather boots with a small bit of a heel to accent them and enormous golden 
hoops through her ears.  Any other man would have considered her beautiful, but 
only his mermaid would appease the young seafarer.

	"We sail as far out as we can go, then we dump the maids friends, got it?" 
Roker asked.  The gruff men grunted their mock approval and left in a hurry, 
trying to conceal any further laughter.  "This'll never work sir," Raine said 
warily.  "Of course it will!  I'm the captain!  My plans always work!" he 
answered.  "Not if your brain is the size of a Neon egg," the girl spat and 
exited the quarters.  "No, you'd have to be smarter than that," Roker mused, the 
point of the insult slipping past his limited wit.

	The group of weary travelers had since been shown to their quarters by the 
two men that had left earlier than Raine and Roker, and Ash, Riley, and Pikachu 
sat on the low bunk, struggling with the seal on one of the scrolls.  It had an 
intense flame molded into the ancient wax, but yet the brittle looking material 
would not submit to the boy's demands.  "It's useless, I can't get this open," 
Ash sighed.  Riley looked at it carefully and the wax flashed brightly and 
melted, turning a brilliant red again.  It swept across the scroll, painting a 
message in the ancient language.  Ash's heart soared and he jabbed the paper 
into the dragon's face excitedly.  "Quick!  What's it say?  Read it!" he barked.  
Riley's eyes darted quickly across the text before it flashed again, dully this 
time, and reunited to form the flame seal again.  Ash stared in wonder at the 
renewed wax, now a brilliant red and put the scroll down on the bed.

	Riley blinked a few times in succession and shrugged.  "What?  What'd it 
say?" Pikachu asked.  The dragon looked up at Ash and smiled crookedly.  "It 
said 'The time will come for you to read this, only then will the seal be 
broken," he said.  Ash's face fell and set the scroll on the low nightstand next 
to the bed.  It had been nailed to the floor to prevent any sliding, and Ash was 
sure it was safe.

	"Sorry kid," Riley mused and leap deftly onto the floor.  Ash smiled.  
"Eh, that's okay.  Let's get some sleep huh Pikachu?" he said ruffling the fur 
atop his Pokemon's head affectionately.  "I'm beat, kinda literally I might 
add," he replied with a smirk.  Ash chuckled and blew out the candle on the 
nightstand.

	He could already hear Brock snoring from across the room.  All five 
humans, two Pokemon, and the dragon had been crammed into a solitary cabin, with 
two sets of bunk beds.  Ash slept below Misty, and Brock shared the bed on the 
other side with Jessie and James.  They slept in the same bed, much to their 
dismay.  There'd been a loud and bitter argument over it, but in the end, they'd 
concurred to share the top bunk.  James slept as far out from the wall as 
possible, while Jessie curled into the smallest ball she could against it.

	Ash smiled at them, he knew how James felt about Jessie, he'd even watched 
him kiss her, too bad she'd been a demon when he'd done it.  He'd suspected for 
a long time that they had a 'thing' but he could never be sure.  He closed his 
eyes and wished he and Misty could have the same relationship they did, but his 
heart broke as he realized he did.  He knew for a fact that Misty would never 
see him as more than a friend, even if he had loved her since those first 
precious days of his Pokemon journey.  He opened his eyes and looked up at the 
mattress and silently vowed never to break his own heart by telling her how he 
felt.  She'd never know, it would be disastrous for both of them.  Ash's eyes 
slid shut and he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

	The next morning the group was rudely awakened by sunlight pouring into 
the cabin through the musty glass window.  Ash was the first to awaken, the 
flames that had gone a dormant blue lighting the room even more.  He sat up and 
surveyed the room, temporarily forgetting where he was.  James lay sprawled 
across the bed, his mouth wide open, and snoring loudly, needless to say, Jessie 
remained coiled in the corner against the wall.  Ash stretched and slid he feet 
out from beneath the coarse brown blanket.  He felt his boots beneath his feet 
and slid them into the soft leather.

	He got up, and tucked the covers lovingly about Pikachu's still sleeping 
form.  He didn't stir, so the boy crept cautiously out of the room.  He shut the 
door quietly, but was forced to slap his hand quickly over his mouth to prevent 
a scream as his cumbersome tail got in the way.  He clenched his teeth and slid 
it out of the doorway rubbing it tenderly.  He whimpered pitifully and slunk 
away, hoping that no one had seen his embarrassing blunder.

	He meandered to the front of the ship where Roker stood, manning the 
elaborately carved wheel gallantly.  He was whistling some strange song, and 
rocking back and forth with the motion of the ship, and in perfect rhythm with 
the upbeat pace of the tune.  He moved on, walking to the very front of the 
ship.

	They were going very fast, the sails taut in their frames with the wind, 
the bright blue surf crashing in white tipped torrents against the hull.  He 
leaned into the wind, feeling it rush playfully along his body and smiled 
gleefully.  "Good morning lad!" Roker called from his spot by the wheel.  Ash 
turned around and waved at the young man.  Roker smiled down at him deviously, 
and watched as several of his friends came out of the cabin to meet him on deck.  
Misty came out last, cradling the still sleeping Pikachu and Roker's gaze 
softened.  "Soon you'll be mine my princess," he whispered dreamily.

	James walked over briskly and leaned far over the railing, his face a 
shade of green Ash had never seen before.  He stifled a chuckle and placed his 
hand on his back.  "Never been on a ship before James?" Ash asked.  The youth 
shook his head silently and slid to a sitting position on the floor.  Ash patted 
the top of his head jokingly and went to meet the rest of his friends.  "Poor 
James," Brock mused with a grin as Ash approached.  "Well, I'd suppose you all'd 
like somethin' to do?"  The group turned around to see a young girl with indigo 
hair standing behind them.

	Brock's gray skin flushed bright red as he took her hand.  "Why hello 
miss, if there's anything at all I can do for you just let me know, by the way 
my name's Brock and I-" He was interrupted by Jessie taking action.  "I never 
could stand that," she mused as Brock lay on the ground before her.  "Jessie, 
you're a girl after my own heart," Misty said patting her on the shoulder.  
Jessie smiled and winked, and the two girls became even more bonded as friends.  
"Uh, okay.  Anyway, welcome to the Virtue, my name is Raine," she said extending 
her hand.  "Ash," he said taking it.  After all introductions had been 
completed, Raine began with her original purpose.  "So I suppose you'd be liking 
something to do?" she asked.  Ash thought for a bit and decided he would enjoy 
helping out the crew of the Virtue.

	Raine smiled.  "Well, I've got the perfect job for James over there, if 
he's up to it," she said looking casually in his direction.  "I...I can do it," 
James replied looking disoriented.  Raine walked over and took his arm.  "You, 
since you can fly, can man the crows nest," she said gently helping him up.  
James sighed, if there was one thing he didn't need, it was to be up high, but 
he agreed, and slowly began to climb up the mast to the small wooden platform at 
the top.

	Ash watched him, and was dismayed to find an ancient metal bucket thrust 
into his hands.  "Deck hasn't been scrubbed in ages!  Now girls off to the 
kitchen!" Raine called cheerfully and put her arms around Misty and Jessie's 
shoulders.  "No!  Torture!  Please!  James don't let her take me!" Jessie 
shrieked shrilly.  James only smiled and cupped a hand around his mouth.  
"Perhaps you'll learn a thing or two and I won't have to cook from now on!" he 
called.  Jessie scowled and marched angrily to the kitchen.

	Ash, Brock and the two Pokemon stood armed with the bucket and various 
brushes and rags.  "You heard Raine, lets get to work eh?" Roker called from the 
helm.  All present grumbled in dismay and started at the front of the ship.

	Unfortunately for the group, it was nightfall before the captain was 
pleased with their performance.  "Very good m'lads!  I can see m'self in it!" he 
mused running a hand through his shoulder length hair.  Ash rolled his eyes and 
didn't move from his sitting position at the very back of the ship.  "Oh 
brother," Brock muttered under his breath and crossed his arms across his chest.  
"Dinner is served!" Raine called cheerfully.  Jessie and Misty staggered out of 
the kitchen, bedraggled and covered in splotches of an unknown food.  "Help-" 
"us" they groaned falling to the floor back to back.  Ash stifled his urge to 
burst out laughing and stood, walking over to meet them.  "Learn anything?" he 
asked with a smirk.  Misty smiled at him and nodded.  "Yeah, Brock and James are 
doing all the cooking from now on," she said standing up.  Ash burst out 
laughing at that remark and put his arm around her shoulders.  "Well, lets go 
taste what poison the young connoisseurs have concocted for us," he said.

	James slid down the pole and landed securely on the deck.  Feeling much 
better than he had the previous afternoon, he was in much higher spirits.  He 
walked over to Jessie, the last one remaining outside on the deck.  "Hey Jessie, 
have fun?" he asked deviously.  She looked up at him slowly, an utterly 
perplexed look on her face.  "How on earth can you stand to do that?" she asked 
breathlessly.  James smiled and helped her to her feet.  "It's...An acquired 
liking," he said and led her into the small eating quarters.

	After consuming the meal, the group wearily trudged back to their 
quarters.  "I'm so tired I can barely move," Jessie groaned as she slid into 
bed.  "Me too," Misty agreed.  Ash and Brock looked at each other and rolled 
their eyes.  "You two didn't have to scrub floors all day!" Brock cried 
indignantly.  "You two didn't have to peel god knows what kind of foods, beat 
them, mix them, add just the right amount of god knows what else, and then beat 
it some more!  You weren't on your feet all day practically running to get this 
and that out of the oven!  They'd just been to port so they had all sort of junk 
to cook!  You two and those Pokemon do not know the meaning of tired," Jessie 
spat pointing her claws at the two stunned men.

	Ash blinked in surprise and sat on his bunk.  "You tell them Jessie!" 
Misty called triumphantly.  "Uh, they win," Meowth muttered and curled up at the 
foot of the bed Jessie and James shared.  Pikachu took the liberty of blowing 
out the candle and snuggled down affectionately next to his owner.  "Goodnight 
Pikachu," Ash whispered and soon fell asleep.

	"Shhhh!  You wanna wake 'em up?"  "Then you be quiet!  We ready?"  "Yes, 
but I really don't know why we have to-" "Because!  Now shut up and get the 
boy!"  Ash picked up someone talking in the room.  He slowly opened his eyes 
slowly, and found himself staring into the cold green-blue eyes of Raine.  
"Sorry kid," she muttered and stuffed a large rolled piece of cloth in his 
mouth.  He sat up and struggled, his screams muffled by the cloth, but Raine 
wrestled him to the ground.  She tied the gag firmly behind his head and swiftly 
whipped out a long length of rope.  She tied it around his body, pinning his 
arms against his sides.  "Even try to burn out of this and you'll kill us all, 
so don't even try it," the girl warned.  

	Ash frowned as he realized she was right.  Raine finished bounding the boy 
and picked him up.  She'd left his legs loose so he could walk and she led him 
to the emergency escape dinghy strapped to the side of the ship.  She tossed him 
in roughly and he found himself atop his companions.  Their mutual muffled 
screams resounded in the still night air.  "Oh, so sorry, but I've really taken 
an interest in your friend here," Ash looked up to see Captain Roker standing 
victoriously, and leaning over the edge.  "Ash!  Get me out of here!" he 
recognized the voice as Misty's and attempted to speak his mind, but found it 
sufficiently blocked.  "I'll enjoy your friend here!  Au revior!" Roker called, 
waving his large black hat in farewell.  Misty was now visible as the tiny 
wooden boat was lowered into the water.  She had been placed in a large glass 
tank filled with water, doubtless purchased just for her, the object of the 
Captains affection.  She pressed her hands longingly against the glass which 
nearly brought tears to Ash's eyes.

	Ash flinched as the boat lurched as it reached the surface of the water 
and the cables were detached.  "Ash!"  Misty's last cry was anguished as all 
figures that had been at the edge of the ship disappeared.