Chapter 23
They continued sailing through the week. The captain and crew were exceptionally pleasant to be around, their cabins were comfortable, and there was never a dull moment aboard, with all the sailor’s songs that were sung and, consequently, memorized. It didn’t bother Andy, though, he liked the bouncy songs they sung. Clair and West seemed to enjoy it, too, but Josh mostly kept to himself in the cabin.
Eight days since the push off, Andy began to notice something strange about the crew. Everyday, they and the captain would take a quick thirty minute break down in the captain’s quarters, which was large enough to fit said figure of authority and the entire crew. They would all hurry to the room, as if something terrible were to happen if they hadn’t otherwise. Plus, they all were wearing the same earrings, a trait none of the group had noticed before.
They didn’t mind much of it. If it didn’t get them in trouble, it really isn’t that big of a deal, right? Besides, they took their own spontaneous breaks to take off their rings in their cabin.
On the ninth day, the captain called everyone together.
“We be nearin’ our destination. At this speed, we should be able to make it by mornin’ on the morrow.” He turned the Andy and his friends. “I’d firs’ like to thank our guests for makin’ this trip possible. Was it worth it, lads?” The group nodded. “Good. We’ve enjoyed havin’ y’all ourselves!”
“Quick question,” Josh blurted, “We’ve noticed that you and you’re crew go down to the cabin very often. Is everything okay down there?”
Andy wanted to slap Josh. It didn’t bother them, and it didn’t seem right to be nosy like that.
“Why, to check on the engine, o’ course!” One of the crew shouted. The others nodded in agreement, rather hurriedly.
“…What? What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothin’s wrong!” The captain said. “It’s jus’ a way to guarantee safe travels is all! Would ye ride a boat that never ‘as engine checks?”
“No, but does it take a whole ship to do it?”
“Ooh, yeah! One time, we ‘ad this huge mess. Took the whole crew to clear it up, right! We had no guests sailing with us, o’ course. Right, lads?” The crew nodded.
The captain didn’t seem to want to linger on the discussion. He gave a stretch and a yawn.
“Oh, I don’t know ‘bout you, lads, but I sure is tired!”
The crew also looked tired.
“How’s about we go take a quick nap, just so we can be awake and alert for our grand entrance!”
And then, the crew went to the captain’s quarters again. The group went to their own quarters, slipped their rings off, and went to sleep.
***
Andy awoke to a loud thump above him. He sat up, a little dazed.
“Consarnit, dummy! You’ve dropped your log right over them!” He heard one of the crew displeased at the actions of another person on the ship.
“Sorry,” said another crew member’s voice.
“Well, pick it up and don’t drop it again. This is the only chance we can be out of the open like this!”
“Well, stop talking! They might hear us!”
Andy presumed they dropped to a whisper at that point, because he didn’t hear anymore voices.
He nudged Clair and West awake, but sneaked a slap on Josh for his nosiness earlier.
“Guys, I think something’s wrong.”
“How so?” West asked.
“I heard voices of the crew, but…I think they’re hiding something.”
“Well, then…” Claire said, putting her ring on and assuming her human form, “let’s get the jump on ‘em!”
After getting prepared, Andy cautiously edged towards the door, trying his best to make his steps light and easy so as to not give them away. As he neared the door, the chattering and walking was more audible.
Andy decided it would be best to know what they were up against, so he slipped off his ring and tapped into the aura. No unusual presence was aboard, but the crew had a different air about them.
“No way!” Andy silently exclaimed. He slipped his ring back on and kicked the door down. He and his friends rushed out.
Just as Andy had suspected, the crew were Pokeumans. An army of Timburrs stuck frozen in place. Andy could see the fear and surprise in the Pokémon.
Claire was the first to break the silence. “They’re Pokeumans? Woah.”
Andy chuckled. “I know, right?! How coincidental!” He slipped off his ring, and his friends followed suit. As each person revealed themselves as Pokémon, the crew seemed more relax until the last person took of their ring.
“Phew.” One of the Timburr gave a sigh of relief. “You had us flippin’ scared!”
“Sorry. Where’s the captain?”
“Right here.” A massive figure leaped down. It stood itself up to reveal a Gurdurr. “Guess I ‘aven’t prop’ly introduce meself, aye? Cap’n Cruthers, greatest Gurdurr that ever sailed the seas!”
West lit up with realization. “That must be why you and your crew went to the quarters so often!”
“Aye. Our humanizers be the earrings you all saw. As ye must know, ‘avin a humanizer on for more than three ‘ours at a time ain’t exactly ‘ealthy for ye. So, we use the engine excuse to get ou’ of pryin’ questions!”
“Wow! That’s so cool!”
“Yes. Lucario, Dewott, Braixen, and Weavile, aye? Glad to see ye live an’ in person for who ye are.” He waved his arm over the crew. “This here is my family. Though, most of the elderly be gone on some ‘venture to stop Pokextinction, so it’s mos’ly just my children, nieces, an’ nephs.”
Andy felt like the boat ride just got about ten times as better, when one of the Timburrs shouted “Ship on the starboard bow!”
Everyone ran over to the sides, and they saw pale lights shooting through the fog. After some looking, they saw a huge ship coming right for them.
“Aw, shoot!” Cruthers shouted. “It’s Pokextinction!”
“How can you tell?” Josh replied.
“Think. Why ‘ould Crobats be ‘uddlin’ near the ship?”
Andy tapped into the aura, just to be sure. Sure enough, it was!
“Quick,” Claire shouted, “Put your rings back on!”
“Too late! Look!” The swarm of Crobat began soaring towards the boat.
“Batten ‘own the ‘atches! Get the cannons ready! I’ll drive to Russia!”
The boat surged forward with newfound speed, giving the Crobat less time to catch up to them.
The Timburr rushed downstairs, and got the previously hidden cannons in motion. The unique things about these cannons was that they did not require any fuse to be lit. Instead, after ammunition was loaded, they smacked the bottom of the cannon with their logs, which was enough impact to send the cannon balls flying.
The Crowbat eventually caught up. It was like being in a swarm of birds flying around the place. Andy used concentrated Aura to smack the bats away from him, Claire brought the Flamethrower out, West removed a tool and used it to shoot them down, while Josh was hacking and slashing.
Then, a shriek was heard. One of the Timburr was facing the onslaught of the fight, and the Crowbat attacking began lifting her and flying away. Andy noticed this and jumped. He caught her, and jerked her out of their grasp.
“Guests! When this is over, go downstrairs!”
Andy was taken back when he realized just how many Crowbat there were. Just then, Claire tapped her shoulder.
“Andy! Let’s use the Fire Pulse again!” Andy nodded in agreement. Soon, the Dragon Pulse Flamethrower combination was used to decimate the Crowbat in the way. The Crowbat that were not hit were retreating back to the ship.
After the battle, the ship was littered with the Crowbat and Timburr that were injured in the fight.
Captain Cruthers stepped down from his post. “I’ve never seen anythin’ like that before! Don’t matter now, we need to get ye to the mainland now. Is the car ready?” The Timburr that were still standing nodded. “Good. Go downstairs. I’ll meet ye’ shortly.”
The group went to the stairs, but looked back at the battlefield. They couldn’t help but feel pity. The venom of the Crowbat must be taking it’s course through the bodies that were strewn about.
Claire unzipped her backpack and gave the little Timburr Andy saved the Full Restores.
“Pass these out among the people who are sick. Since you guys are little, you won’t need much for one person.” The Timburr accepted the medicine and was already off healing everyone.
Downstairs, they found the car was put inside an inflatable raft. However, the raft was not like the normal ones that are seen now and then.
“This raft,” Cruthers explained, “Is a raft developed by Pokeuman tech. Now, it can take ye can your car across what distance may be left ‘tween us and the shore. As a bonus for saving me niece, we’ll give ye an extra shove.”
“But won’t you guys be okay?”
“Ah, don’t worry, we’ll tend to the Crowbats ‘til we can send them off to their ‘omes. Besides, we need to take them off ye tail so they don’t follow ye! Don’t worry, we’re quick!”
With a nod, everyone piled into the car-raft. The wall of the ship was lowered, exposing the elements outside.
“Now ‘emember,” The captain said, “Once ye get to shore, y’all need to ship away at this ‘ere raft ‘til it pops and disappears.
“Aye, aye!” Andy shouted, and he strapped himself in.
“3…2…1…launch!” A great push launched the boat out the ship, and skidding onto the water. After it settled, they grabbed the oars that was in the car, and began paddling straight ahead. As they were rowing, Andy couldn’ve sworn he heard a song echoing in a ghostly manner in the night:
“Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads, a whale of a tale or two, 'bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved on nights like this with the moon above, a whale of a tale and it's all true, I swear by my tattoo!”
Chapter 24: Next
They continued sailing through the week. The captain and crew were exceptionally pleasant to be around, their cabins were comfortable, and there was never a dull moment aboard, with all the sailor’s songs that were sung and, consequently, memorized. It didn’t bother Andy, though, he liked the bouncy songs they sung. Clair and West seemed to enjoy it, too, but Josh mostly kept to himself in the cabin.
Eight days since the push off, Andy began to notice something strange about the crew. Everyday, they and the captain would take a quick thirty minute break down in the captain’s quarters, which was large enough to fit said figure of authority and the entire crew. They would all hurry to the room, as if something terrible were to happen if they hadn’t otherwise. Plus, they all were wearing the same earrings, a trait none of the group had noticed before.
They didn’t mind much of it. If it didn’t get them in trouble, it really isn’t that big of a deal, right? Besides, they took their own spontaneous breaks to take off their rings in their cabin.
On the ninth day, the captain called everyone together.
“We be nearin’ our destination. At this speed, we should be able to make it by mornin’ on the morrow.” He turned the Andy and his friends. “I’d firs’ like to thank our guests for makin’ this trip possible. Was it worth it, lads?” The group nodded. “Good. We’ve enjoyed havin’ y’all ourselves!”
“Quick question,” Josh blurted, “We’ve noticed that you and you’re crew go down to the cabin very often. Is everything okay down there?”
Andy wanted to slap Josh. It didn’t bother them, and it didn’t seem right to be nosy like that.
“Why, to check on the engine, o’ course!” One of the crew shouted. The others nodded in agreement, rather hurriedly.
“…What? What’s wrong with it?”
“Nothin’s wrong!” The captain said. “It’s jus’ a way to guarantee safe travels is all! Would ye ride a boat that never ‘as engine checks?”
“No, but does it take a whole ship to do it?”
“Ooh, yeah! One time, we ‘ad this huge mess. Took the whole crew to clear it up, right! We had no guests sailing with us, o’ course. Right, lads?” The crew nodded.
The captain didn’t seem to want to linger on the discussion. He gave a stretch and a yawn.
“Oh, I don’t know ‘bout you, lads, but I sure is tired!”
The crew also looked tired.
“How’s about we go take a quick nap, just so we can be awake and alert for our grand entrance!”
And then, the crew went to the captain’s quarters again. The group went to their own quarters, slipped their rings off, and went to sleep.
***
Andy awoke to a loud thump above him. He sat up, a little dazed.
“Consarnit, dummy! You’ve dropped your log right over them!” He heard one of the crew displeased at the actions of another person on the ship.
“Sorry,” said another crew member’s voice.
“Well, pick it up and don’t drop it again. This is the only chance we can be out of the open like this!”
“Well, stop talking! They might hear us!”
Andy presumed they dropped to a whisper at that point, because he didn’t hear anymore voices.
He nudged Clair and West awake, but sneaked a slap on Josh for his nosiness earlier.
“Guys, I think something’s wrong.”
“How so?” West asked.
“I heard voices of the crew, but…I think they’re hiding something.”
“Well, then…” Claire said, putting her ring on and assuming her human form, “let’s get the jump on ‘em!”
After getting prepared, Andy cautiously edged towards the door, trying his best to make his steps light and easy so as to not give them away. As he neared the door, the chattering and walking was more audible.
Andy decided it would be best to know what they were up against, so he slipped off his ring and tapped into the aura. No unusual presence was aboard, but the crew had a different air about them.
“No way!” Andy silently exclaimed. He slipped his ring back on and kicked the door down. He and his friends rushed out.
Just as Andy had suspected, the crew were Pokeumans. An army of Timburrs stuck frozen in place. Andy could see the fear and surprise in the Pokémon.
Claire was the first to break the silence. “They’re Pokeumans? Woah.”
Andy chuckled. “I know, right?! How coincidental!” He slipped off his ring, and his friends followed suit. As each person revealed themselves as Pokémon, the crew seemed more relax until the last person took of their ring.
“Phew.” One of the Timburr gave a sigh of relief. “You had us flippin’ scared!”
“Sorry. Where’s the captain?”
“Right here.” A massive figure leaped down. It stood itself up to reveal a Gurdurr. “Guess I ‘aven’t prop’ly introduce meself, aye? Cap’n Cruthers, greatest Gurdurr that ever sailed the seas!”
West lit up with realization. “That must be why you and your crew went to the quarters so often!”
“Aye. Our humanizers be the earrings you all saw. As ye must know, ‘avin a humanizer on for more than three ‘ours at a time ain’t exactly ‘ealthy for ye. So, we use the engine excuse to get ou’ of pryin’ questions!”
“Wow! That’s so cool!”
“Yes. Lucario, Dewott, Braixen, and Weavile, aye? Glad to see ye live an’ in person for who ye are.” He waved his arm over the crew. “This here is my family. Though, most of the elderly be gone on some ‘venture to stop Pokextinction, so it’s mos’ly just my children, nieces, an’ nephs.”
Andy felt like the boat ride just got about ten times as better, when one of the Timburrs shouted “Ship on the starboard bow!”
Everyone ran over to the sides, and they saw pale lights shooting through the fog. After some looking, they saw a huge ship coming right for them.
“Aw, shoot!” Cruthers shouted. “It’s Pokextinction!”
“How can you tell?” Josh replied.
“Think. Why ‘ould Crobats be ‘uddlin’ near the ship?”
Andy tapped into the aura, just to be sure. Sure enough, it was!
“Quick,” Claire shouted, “Put your rings back on!”
“Too late! Look!” The swarm of Crobat began soaring towards the boat.
“Batten ‘own the ‘atches! Get the cannons ready! I’ll drive to Russia!”
The boat surged forward with newfound speed, giving the Crobat less time to catch up to them.
The Timburr rushed downstairs, and got the previously hidden cannons in motion. The unique things about these cannons was that they did not require any fuse to be lit. Instead, after ammunition was loaded, they smacked the bottom of the cannon with their logs, which was enough impact to send the cannon balls flying.
The Crowbat eventually caught up. It was like being in a swarm of birds flying around the place. Andy used concentrated Aura to smack the bats away from him, Claire brought the Flamethrower out, West removed a tool and used it to shoot them down, while Josh was hacking and slashing.
Then, a shriek was heard. One of the Timburr was facing the onslaught of the fight, and the Crowbat attacking began lifting her and flying away. Andy noticed this and jumped. He caught her, and jerked her out of their grasp.
“Guests! When this is over, go downstrairs!”
Andy was taken back when he realized just how many Crowbat there were. Just then, Claire tapped her shoulder.
“Andy! Let’s use the Fire Pulse again!” Andy nodded in agreement. Soon, the Dragon Pulse Flamethrower combination was used to decimate the Crowbat in the way. The Crowbat that were not hit were retreating back to the ship.
After the battle, the ship was littered with the Crowbat and Timburr that were injured in the fight.
Captain Cruthers stepped down from his post. “I’ve never seen anythin’ like that before! Don’t matter now, we need to get ye to the mainland now. Is the car ready?” The Timburr that were still standing nodded. “Good. Go downstairs. I’ll meet ye’ shortly.”
The group went to the stairs, but looked back at the battlefield. They couldn’t help but feel pity. The venom of the Crowbat must be taking it’s course through the bodies that were strewn about.
Claire unzipped her backpack and gave the little Timburr Andy saved the Full Restores.
“Pass these out among the people who are sick. Since you guys are little, you won’t need much for one person.” The Timburr accepted the medicine and was already off healing everyone.
Downstairs, they found the car was put inside an inflatable raft. However, the raft was not like the normal ones that are seen now and then.
“This raft,” Cruthers explained, “Is a raft developed by Pokeuman tech. Now, it can take ye can your car across what distance may be left ‘tween us and the shore. As a bonus for saving me niece, we’ll give ye an extra shove.”
“But won’t you guys be okay?”
“Ah, don’t worry, we’ll tend to the Crowbats ‘til we can send them off to their ‘omes. Besides, we need to take them off ye tail so they don’t follow ye! Don’t worry, we’re quick!”
With a nod, everyone piled into the car-raft. The wall of the ship was lowered, exposing the elements outside.
“Now ‘emember,” The captain said, “Once ye get to shore, y’all need to ship away at this ‘ere raft ‘til it pops and disappears.
“Aye, aye!” Andy shouted, and he strapped himself in.
“3…2…1…launch!” A great push launched the boat out the ship, and skidding onto the water. After it settled, they grabbed the oars that was in the car, and began paddling straight ahead. As they were rowing, Andy couldn’ve sworn he heard a song echoing in a ghostly manner in the night:
“Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads, a whale of a tale or two, 'bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved on nights like this with the moon above, a whale of a tale and it's all true, I swear by my tattoo!”
Chapter 24: Next
