"Hey, wait for us, Ash! Don't drag big brother Theo along so fast! We still have to check the tickets before boarding, and the tickets are with my sister!"
Max hugged his Treecko tightly as he ran after them, calling out anxiously.
May hurriedly picked up little Ice Vulpix and little Fire Vulpix from the ground, holding them in her arms as she quickened her pace to catch up.
Brock, meanwhile, trailed behind with a helpless expression, bending down to pick up the bags of berries left on the bench.
Just then, Larvitar came trotting over with its short little steps, waving its tiny claws and calling out, "Lar, Lar."
"You want to help me carry one? What a good kid."
Brock smiled as he rubbed Larvitar's head, intending to refuse politely.
"But I can carry them myself, no need to trouble you."
However, Larvitar shook its head insistently, determined to help. Brock could not argue with it, and in the end, he gave in with a smile.
"Alright, alright, I will give you one bag. Thanks for your help, Larvitar. I will make you something tasty later."
Larvitar nodded obediently, carefully taking one of the berry bags with its small claws, then happily trotted along beside Brock.
Brock looked down at it, and Larvitar narrowed its eyes, flashing him a sweet and innocent smile.
"What a well behaved little guy."
Brock was full of praise.
But the moment he turned his head away, Larvitar's little claw slipped quickly into the bag.
As it walked, it secretly stuffed berries into its mouth one after another, its eyes squinting in pure satisfaction while its tiny tail wagged cheerfully behind it, looking as though it was about to burst with happiness.
Theo was being dragged forward by Ash, his wrist starting to ache from the grip. He had practically no strength to resist and was forcibly pulled all the way to the boarding checkpoint.
Only when they reached the checkpoint and the staff asked for tickets did Ash finally realize something was wrong. He patted his pockets and looked utterly confused.
He did not have a ticket at all.
Seeing Ash's delayed realization, Theo could not help but find it amusing.
Most of the time, he traveled alone with his Pokémon, so this was the first time he had journeyed together with such a lively group of people. The feeling was both novel and refreshing.
Before long, May and Max caught up, both panting slightly.
May handed over the tickets to the staff, then turned to glare at Ash with mild annoyance.
"Honestly, you are always so careless."
Ash scratched his head sheepishly and laughed.
After verifying the tickets, the staff member smiled and waved them through.
"Welcome aboard the S.S. Flower. We hope you have a pleasant journey."
The group followed the crew into the guest room area. The corridor was covered with thick carpets that muffled their footsteps completely.
Their rooms were all located on the third floor, elegantly furnished, with large floor to ceiling windows facing the sea. Pulling back the curtains revealed a sparkling expanse of water.
"Wow, the view is amazing!"
Max pressed himself against the window, pointing excitedly at the distance.
"Treecko, look! There are so many Wingull over there!"
Treecko chirped in response, its tail swaying energetically.
Theo had just set down his backpack in his room when Ash could no longer wait. He grabbed Theo's arm and pulled him toward the door.
"Hurry up, Theo! Let's go to the battle area on the ship. I cannot wait anymore!"
Theo had no choice but to comply, quickly putting away his things before picking up Ice Vulpix and Fire Vulpix and following Ash out toward the battle area.
It was at this moment that Theo truly witnessed the real strength of this Normal and Fighting type humanoid Pokémon, Ash.
Seeing Larvitar still walking leisurely behind Theo, Ash raised an eyebrow. Without hesitation, he reached out, grabbed the small blunt horn on Larvitar's head, and effortlessly lifted it up, placing it onto his shoulder.
Larvitar was completely stunned.
It had never imagined that it could actually ride a human. Its eyes were filled with shock as it stared at Ash.
Standing on Ash's shoulder, it kept glancing behind him.
In Larvitar's understanding, anything that had a tail was usually a Pokémon.
At this moment, Ash had Pikachu on one shoulder and Larvitar on the other, two undeniably heavy passengers, yet his steps remained light and easy.
He even broke into a light jog, moving ahead of Theo while calling back for Theo, May, Max, and Brock to hurry up.
Theo's mouth twitched at the sight.
Even when fasting, Larvitar weighed over eighty kilograms, heavier than himself. Now that its belly was full and round, it was even heavier.
Yet Ash had just lifted it with one hand and tossed it onto his shoulder as if it were a rag doll.
It was simply unreasonable.
The urge to capture him surged again in Theo's heart. His right hand unconsciously moved to the Poké Ball at his waist, gently rubbing it.
Ash… he really was the perfect Pokémon.
If evaluated using game stats, he would probably qualify as a pseudo legendary Pokémon.
And not just that, but a unique, one of a kind rare species.
The S.S. Flower, this massive luxury cruise ship that could be described as a floating fortress, had a total of eighteen floors.
Its battle area was located on the eighteenth floor, accessible only by elevator to reach the top deck.
As the elevator slowly ascended, Max pressed against the glass, watching the sea rapidly recede below, so excited that he could not help but shout.
Soon, the elevator reached the eighteenth floor.
The doors opened, and a gust of sea breeze rushed in. The deck was lively and bustling.
Ash pulled Theo straight toward the center of the deck. The moment they stepped into the battle area, Ash's energy surged as he clenched his fists, looking at Theo with eager anticipation.
"Come on, Theo! Let's have a full team battle!"
Theo glanced around the area, and the more he looked, the more something felt off.
There were indeed many trainers battling here, but almost all the Pokémon on the field were in their basic forms.
Meowth, Eevee, Marill, Cyndaquil, Chikorita, and others like them.
Something did not feel quite right.
Just as doubt arose in his mind, a staff member responsible for the battle area came over to explain the rules.
Only then did Theo understand that this deck battle zone had strict regulations.
Large Pokémon were not allowed, and powerful moves were prohibited to prevent damage to the ship's structure.
In simple terms, this was more like a recreational area for small, companion type Pokémon to interact and play.
The moment Ash learned this, the excitement on his face instantly vanished. His shoulders slumped, and he looked like a deflated balloon.
He had been looking forward to an intense battle, only to realize he had come to the wrong place entirely.
Seeing Ash like this, Theo could not help but laugh.
The real person was exactly the same as in the anime, always acting before thinking.
May, Max, and Brock also walked over. After hearing the rules, May smiled and said,
"Alright, Ash, don't be disappointed. Once we get off the ship and arrive at Forina, there will be plenty of places for you to battle."
"No way! Since we are already here, we have to battle at least once!"
(End of Chapter)