With the Orange Badge secured, Red accompanied his brother's group as they left the Vermilion Gym and headed for the bustling city pier, their next destination on the horizon. A cool sea breeze blew across the docks, lifting their spirits. In the harbor, several massive cruise ships were moored, their grand forms inspiring dreams of ocean voyages.
One ship, however, dwarfed all the others. It was the S.S. Anne, a world-famous luxury liner, its decks glittering in the sun.
"Wow! I want to get on a ship like that and see what's on the other side of the ocean!" Ash exclaid, his eyes wide with wonder.
"Yeah! Imagine all the different kinds of Pokémon we could et!" Brock added enthusiastically.
"And I could sunbathe on the deck... a nice, leisurely boat trip would be amazing!" Misty sighed, lost in the fantasy.
The three of them were swept away by their daydreams. Ash imagined battling trainers from all over the world, Misty pictured herself relaxing in a deck chair, and Brock, ever the romantic, hoped to be swept off his feet by a wealthy noblewoman.
Only Red remained calm. As a transmigrator, he knew the truth. The magnificent S.S. Anne was nothing more than an elaborate trap, a multi-year operation orchestrated by Team Rocket. Tonight was the night they planned to spring it, sailing out to sea before revealing their agents and seizing every Pokémon on board.
"Too bad you don't have the money for a ticket," Red said leisurely, his words a pinprick to their ballooning fantasies.
"Aww..." the trio groaned in unison, dragged back to harsh reality. Their cheerful mood vanished as they turned to leave the pier.
"Red!"
A sweet voice called his na. He turned just as a brown-haired girl ran up and wrapped him in an enthusiastic hug. A faint, pleasant fragrance emanated from her as Red, feeling her excitent, gently pushed her away. After the hug, the girl spotted Ash standing nearby and, blushing furiously, hid behind Red.
"Long ti no see, Leaf!" Ash greeted, oblivious. It was Leaf, their fellow trainer from Pallet Town. "What are you doing here?"
"Long ti no see, Ash... and Red," she said, her own surprise evident. Seeing Red after so long, she had impulsively rushed to hug him without thinking. Now, with Ash as a witness, she awkwardly tugged at the corner of her clothes.
Red, for his part, was a little surprised. He had always assud Leaf saw him purely as a rival, but her reaction now suggested sothing different. His steady gaze only made her ears turn a brighter shade of red.
"Leaf, how many badges have you collected?" Ash asked, breaking the tension.
"I defeated Lt. Surge two days ago! That makes three!" she said proudly, pulling out an exquisite case containing the Boulder Badge, the Cascade Badge, and the Thunder Badge.
Her eyes then fell on Brock. "Mr. Brock! I can't believe you're traveling with Ash!" She had earned her first badge from him and was shocked to see him away from his gym. After a quick explanation of his family situation, Leaf's expression turned stormy.
"That's awful! If I had a father like that, I'd hunt him down and teach him a lesson myself!" she said, angrily waving her small fists.
Far away in Pewter City, Flint sneezed. "Could it be... Brock misses ?" he wondered, rubbing his nose.
Unfortunately, Brock was too busy shalessly ogling the wealthy ladies boarding the S.S. Anne to miss anyone. His heart-eyed antics were so over-the-top that Misty had to drag him away by the ear.
"By the way, did you guys get tickets for the S.S. Anne?" Leaf asked, holding up a ticket of her own. "I won it in a promotion! I've never been on a luxury ship before; I have to enjoy it!"
"Congratulations! You all look like super lucky people!"
Two figures in gaudy school uniforms approached them. Jessie was recognizable, but Jas was dressed as a high school girl, a sight so jarring it made Red physically recoil. He had to cover his mouth and turn away, trying to erase the image from his mind.
"We have invitation tickets for this ship!" Jessie explained, holding out four tickets.
"Su~per!" Jas added, twisting his body and speaking in a high-pitched, effeminate voice.
Red coughed, turning to face the ocean. He deeply regretted coming to the pier. He could see through their clumsy disguises, but at this mont, he wished he couldn't. Jas's performance was an assault on the senses.
Claiming they were late for a date, the duo shoved the tickets into their hands and left, wiggling their bodies in a way that made Red's eyes twitch.
A few minutes later, hidden in the shadows, Team Rocket celebrated their "success."
"I think I'm really good at pretending to be a little girl, aren't I?" Jas simpered, still in character. He was imdiately brought back to reality by a heavy hamr blow from Jessie.
"Stop being an idiot, and let's go!" she hissed, dragging him to a nearby lookout tower to contact the boss.
Giovanni's blurred image appeared on their screen. "It seems you are ready," he said calmly.
"Yes, Boss!" they replied in unison. A sleek Persian sauntered into view, purring as Giovanni stroked its back.
"What! That's a Persian!" owth cried out, his heart breaking. "B-Boss! I'm your favorite pet, aren't I?"
"Your repeated failures have left utterly disappointed," Giovanni replied coldly. "This one, in contrast, is absolutely adorable."
"If you want to earn my favor, you must not fail this ti," he continued. "Have you distributed all the tickets?"
"Yes, sir! All the trainers happily accepted them!" Jessie reported.
"Is it really okay to be so generous?" Jas asked.
"I am the host of this party," Giovanni said, a cruel smile in his voice. "My elite agents are already aboard. We will take every single Pokémon from the trainers you lured onto that ship. See that you succeed."
"Yes, Boss!" Jessie and Jas shouted, their determination renewed.
"I'll do my best!" owth added, trying to win back his place.
***********
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