Chp 25: Cruise 
 
The group had to wake up early to make it to the ship's departure. The SS Anne was huge, so they had little problem getting tickets, besides the price tag. While there were cheaper methods to get to other regions, this was one of the most popular ones. The cruise liner was famous, especially among trainers, as it had been designed for them specifically, having many on board pokemon facilities. Among the strongest trainers, it was their first choice for sea travel. While there were other alternatives, sometimes the finer things in life were worth it. 
 
Once they were on board, they went to their quarters and went back to sleep. Now, at a reasonable time, they could begin their day. The room was a double, with two beds and a big luxury bathroom. Zip took the other bed, while Soul, Seth and Sky shared.  
 
"Should be a day or two long trip. What do you wanna do?" Seth asked. 
 
"Puke." Sky groaned. She was curled up on the bed, occasionally rolling around a bit. 
 
"Maybe we can hit the buffet." Soul suggested. 
 
"Just bring me some food back." Zip huffed. She was sitting on her bed, piercing eyes watching them with a suspicious glare. 
 
Seth sighed. "We're on board one of the most famous ships in the world, and you all want to do boring stuff. Soul, you come with me."  
 
"You can't boss me around." She snorted. "If I wanna eat myself sick, I'm gonna."  
 
"You'll get your food." Seth said. 
 
"Well alright then." She said happily.  
 
+++ 
 
"Tonight only, we have a battle of titanic proportions!" The announcer called. "Trainer Demetri and his pokemon, Inferno the volcarona! Versus! Trainer Adrian and his pokemon, Champion the kommo-o! 
 
"These seats suck." Soul complained, her tongue darting out and dragging a puff of popcorn into her mouth. 
 
"I'm not paying double the price to sit a little closer." Seth said. "The snacks were expensive enough." They were in a stadium, built into the top level of the ship. It wasn't as big as a real stadium, but it was plenty for being on board a ship. There were about ten rows, and they were on the ninth. The rows were further apart, the seats lower, then a usual sports stadium. And in between every few sets of seats, there was an open space for pokemon to sit. Soul had different tastes however, as she sat in the seat next to Seth, having to scrunch up her limbs to manage it, as he held the bag of popcorn they shared. 
 
The two pokemon roared at each other. Well, the volcarona more chittered than roared, but it still sounded like a battle cry. The dragon charged forward, slamming its fist into the ground as the bug floated back, spraying out flames as it did. 
 
"You ever think about how weird humans are? They pay money to watch pokemon fight. Could you imagine if we actually fought for real? Come to think of it, the entire economy is built off pokemon. What would things be like if we just disappeared one day?" 
 
"Well I'd get awfully lonely." Seth chuckled. "Where'd all that come from?"  
 
"I dunno." She muttered, taking a suck from their drink. 
 
+++ 
 
"We're back!" Seth announced as they came in the door. Sky groaned and rolled onto her other side. Her tail limply raised and waved at him. Zip didn't even twitch. She was looking out the window at the rolling waves. "Ok, Sky, your turn." He said.  
 
"No..." She groaned.  
 
"Just trust me. I have an idea."  
 
"Ooooggghhhh..." 
 
He went over and picked her up, holding her to his chest, her head and fore paws resting on his shoulder. "Come on, I've got a treat for you." One of his hands rubbed her back gently while the other held her up. 
 
"What about me?" Soul asked. 
 
"You won't like it. There'll be water. If you want to..." 
 
"Nope." She said. "So what's up with you?" She asked Zip, who ignored her.  
 
Seth and Sky left the room, heading up to the deck of the ship. She squirmed around a bit but accepted her fate. He walked across the deck, drawing a few gazes from other trainers and pokemon. At last, he came to his target. Something he hadn't seen in a long time, not counting the gym battle. A pool.  
 
"Take a deep breath." He warned. They were right at the edge and Seth was about to jump in. 
 
She looked up at him with begging eyes. "Please no." She whimpered.  
 
He sighed. It was impossible to resist that face. She was set down, and then he jumped into the large pool, splashing her. He surfaced a moment later and held onto the side. "I was thinking a swim would help you."  
 
"I..." She crawled forward and dipped a paw into the cool water. After a few deep breathes, she dove in. A moment later she resurfaced, paws paddling to keep her afloat. She thought for a second. "I think it worked."  
 
"Wait what?" He asked. 
 
"I don't feel queasy anymore!" She cheered excitedly. "Your plan worked perfect!" 
 
"Uh, yeah, totally." He said, rubbing the back of his head. She dove again, darting underneath him and coming back up on the other side. He turned and kicked off the wall to speed out further into the pool. They raced, played, and relaxed in the water.
 
+++ 
 
"So..." Soul prodded, standing next to Zip.  
 
"Leave me alone."  
 
"What if I don't?"  
 
Zip growled. 
 
"Listen, you've been through some shit. So have I. I understand how you feel, and I don't want you to do what I did." Soul said plainly. 
 
This got the luxray's attention. "What would you know? I was there for a lot more than a week." She growled angrily.  
 
"I'll tell you my story, but you have to tell me yours." Soul said.  
 
"And you can't tell your trainer." 
 
"Likewise." Soul said. "I was born in a land faraway. But I'll spare you the boring parts. I was captured by a human female. At first, I hated her. But over time, we became friends. Then... Humans killed her. They shot her dead and I couldn't do anything to save her." Soul's paws clenched. "I hated humans, for a long time. Then one day I got horny and pounced one. That turned out to be Seth." 
 
"Heh, maybe we aren't that different." Zip chuckled. "I think it was about two years ago I got captured from Sinnoh. I was... I got tough fast. Then they tried to sell me off. A few tried to buy me, but I scared them off. An angry lighting cat was too much for them. So what's your point?" 
 
"Don't hold a grudge. Not all humans are like that." 
 
"I know. It was humans that saved me." Zip said. 
 
"Good." Soul smiled and went to the bed. Moments later, the TV was on. Zip watched her suspiciously, before turning back to look outside. Occassionally, the noise of the TV caused her to turn around before quickly looking away before being noticed.  
 
+++ 
 
"Okay, I think that's about enough for today." Seth held up a pruned hand. "Let's go back and we'll figure out dinner." He swam over to the ladder and climbed out, heading to their chair to get a towel. When he turned back, Sky was hesitating before getting out. 
 
"If I get out of the water... I'll get sick again..." Sky said. 
 
"You can't spend the rest of your life in the pool."  
 
"I know." She groaned. Climbing out of the pool, she was enveloped in a fresh towel Seth had. He wrapped it around her once she was mostly dry and hoisted her up over his shoulder. "You don't have to carry me." She said, squirming a bit. He said nothing, merely beginning to walk. 
 
They made it back to the room and Seth opened the door. Zip's head twisted to the side and she froze. Both her and Soul were on the same bed, watching TV. The lion cleared her throat and jumped off the bed, going back over to the window.  
 
"You two have fun?" Seth asked. 
 
"I wouldn't call it fun... but I think we have a better understanding." Soul said happily. "Isn't that right?" 
 
Zip grunted.  
 
"Okay, so how about food?" Seth said. "I'll get room service."

The over priced food arrived a short time later, allowing all of them to eat. They even had specialty pokemon dishes. 

"Sky." Seth said out of nowhere. "I'm sorry." 

"No need to apologize. You couldn't have known." 

"That doesn't make it okay. I swore to stop letting bad things happen, but it happened again. You said that Riley guy was really powerful right? Maybe he can help me get stronger."

"He probably could." 
 
+++ 
 
Thunder crashed through the darkness, briefly lighting the path before it was black again. The sound of boots splashing through the puddles and a man breathing loudly could be heard over the pouring rain. He franticly looked behind him as he ran, looking for the creature. Then he tripped.  
 
It was right there when he looked again. The white furred demon staring at him. It took a step forward. He tried to crawl backwards, but the moment he moved, it ran forward, pressing its horn against his neck.  
 
"Please... please, I have a family. A wife, and two sons... Please let me go." He begged, at the brink of tears. 
 
"Good. They'll learn suffering young." The beast smirked, swinging its horn to the side and nearly decapitating the man. Blood flowed quickly, only to be washed away by the rain. 
 
+++ 
 
Soul opened her eyes wide. Her heart was pounding. She rolled over twice, falling off the bed and onto her feet. Thankfully she had decided to sleep outside the covers. Outside, a crack of thunder reminded her of... She shook the thought away. "Privacy..." She thought, walking around the bed and to the bathroom. She went in, nudged the door closed, and flicked the light on with her horn. Hopping up, she planted her forepaws on the sink and looked into her own eyes. The eyes of a killer. "No, I'm different now. I'm not that same pokemon." It was still her that did those things. The memories proved it.  
 
She reached forward and turned on the water in the sink, cold, before dunking her head under. She shook the water off, spraying the mirror. "I'm going back to bed." She muttered.