Brooke was pumped and ready to go for the second round of battling on the cruise. Emil and his sister, Amanda had joined them on the cruise since the wedding was at the end of this whole thing.
"Allllriiight! Is everyone ready for the second round of battling!?" The announcer called out and everyone cheered excitedly. "Okay then! Let's take a look at today's match-ups! Starting off today, we have Vanessa against Percy! Then, there's Logan versus Riley! Brooke against Theodore! And last, Michael against Charlotte."
Vanessa pushed past Brooke as she made her way up to the battlefield and Brooke glared at her, wishing her bad luck in the battle. But, unfortunately for her, Vanessa was the victor with a Milotic against Percy's espeon.
Up next was Logan against his little sister, Riley. Riley released a Sylveon named Millie and Logan released Pyrois. It was a tough battle between them, but Logan was ultimately the winner. However, there was no doubt that after training and a journey, Riley would make a great fairy type gym leader.
Brooke was up next against Theodore. She stood across the field from him and readied her next pokemon. "Trainers, are you ready?" They nodded. "Then release your pokemon!" Theodore threw out a Growlithe and Brooke smiled. She knew how to fight a Growlithe. She released her pokemon. "Come on, Gawain!" Her Kirlia stood, ready for battle. "Battle, begin!"
"Gawain! Use calm mind."
"Growlithe, use Crunch!" The foe's growlithe raced forward and chomped down on Gawain. "Psychic!" The growlithe was pried off Gawain and thrown all the way across the field. "Nice job! Now confusion!"
"Growlithe! Use Flamethrower!"
"Confusion again!" It was a hit and the Growlithe became confused. "Yes! Nice job, Gawain! Now Psychic! One last time!" It was a direct hit and the Growlithe was down. "Yeah! We did it, Gawain!"
"Kirrla!" He was proud of himself. Brooke gave him a fist bump and returned him to his pokeball.
The next match between Michael and Charlotte was a longer on. It ended with Michael as the winner with his Tirtuga, against Charlotte and her daytime Lycanroc.
Brooke went back to the room and went straight to the phones. She knew the number by heart and dialed it in. It rang up a few times before his face appeared on the screen. "Brookie!"
"Hey, Jordan! Long time no see!"
"How are you? How is everyone?"
"We're all great! How are you? And your classes?" Jordan smiled. "I'm great. Everything's great. I was just out with some friends last night, so I'm a little tired today."
"You're not staying out too late, are you?"
"No, mom." Jordan teased and she rolled her eyes. "Very funny."
"So, tell me everything! What have I missed since I left?"
"Ooo! Well, remember Logan's shiny delcatty, Camilla?"
"Yeah."
"Well, she and Solomon are in love! It's so cute! And Orval and Ophelia have evolved. And Logan caught a Braviary he rescued and named him Mulligan."
"Wow! That's so much! Too bad I can't be there to meet him. And that reminds me! I have some new updates with my team, too."
"Really!? What are they?"
"Ryder and Rip have evolved!" Jordan smiled proudly. "Really!? Cooper and Oshima will be so happy for them! It's hard to believe that Cooper and Ryder were training buddies not too long ago."
"I know, I know, it feels like forever. And I have a new addition, too."
"Who?"
"She's a Haunter I found. Her name is Jupiter. She's a bit shy but she works really hard and is a great companion. You'd like her a lot!"
"I'm so happy you're settling in well over there. This is what you've dreamed about for a long time."
"I know. Sometimes it's strange for even me to believe this is happening."
"It's too bad you're not here though, Alex just told us she's getting married and we met her fiance. But shhh, don't tell anyone. It's a secret wedding."
"Aww man! I'm so jealous!" Jordan paused a moment, and Brooke was sensing there was something he wanted to tell her, but he didn't. "We're docking at Sakana Island. Everyone will be waiting for me, I should go."
"Yeah. You should, I'll call you again soon."
"Yeah, maybe you can get some time off and visit me somewhere."
"Totally! I'd like that. Just let me know."
"Will do. Talk to you soon."
"Bye, Brookie."
"Bye, Jordan."
They hung up and Brooke sighed. "Umbre?"
"I'm okay, Lukas. I just miss seeing him, but I'm glad he's happy over there. Who knows, he may even finally get a girlfriend." She snickered and stood up, putting her jacket back on and walking to meet her friends on the dock.
She walked down and smiled when she saw all of them. "Hey, guys! So, what's on the agenda? What's going on?"
"Well, there seems to be some sort of magikarp catching competition. There are prizes for the ones to catch the biggest magikarp by the end of the day." Charles explained. "All right! Let's go get some fishing rods and join this contest! How hard can catching a big magikarp be?"
Brooke was eating her words as she sat on the dock, her head in her fist. She had been sitting there for what felt like hours, and had only gotten one or two bites from a couple magikarp not worth catching and she was bored out of her mind. She glanced over at Logan and Riley, who also looked like they were getting bored, Maggie was taking a break and eating a snack she'd brought, but Charles was sitting there calmly and patiently. She groaned dramatically and lay back on the towels the brought to sit on. "This is the most boring thing ever! Nothing exciting has happened."
"Fishing isn't supposed to be that exciting until you catch something, Brooke. You're supposed to focus on the fish and let the time go."
"Yeah, that's boring."
Suddenly, a gyarados appeared out of the water near the opposite end of the board walk. It let out a deafening screech, from where they were they could tell its eyes were beading and red. It used hydro pump on the boardwalk, breaking the wood and letting it fall into the ocean. People started screaming and running for shelter as the Gyarados continued screaming and sending out random attacks. "It's going on a rampage!"
"We have to stop it!" Brooke yelled, jumping to her feet. "We can't do anything, Brooke, we can't stop a rampaging pokemon!" Charles shouted as they gathered all their items and began running to the Pokemon Center. "I have to do something, don't I?" She replied impatiently. Without waiting for a reply she released Sophia into the water and kicked off her sneakers and jacket. "Brooke! What are you doing!" She didn't answer and dove into the water, grabbing a hold of Sophia. "Let's go, girl!" Her floatzel sped off in the water, ignoring her friends and partner calling after her, begging for her to come back.
"Stop by that rock, there! We have to lead it away from the island." Sophia stopped by a rock and Brooke climbed onto it, her bare feet finding some traction on the slippery surface. "Use whirlpool!" Sophia raised her arms and developed a large whirlpool over her head and threw it at the Gyarados. But Brooke's heart began beating even faster, when it was hardly damaged and it turned to her angrily. Brooke swallowed. "Okay, we got it's attention! Let's keep moving, Sophia!" It unleashed a hyper beam and Brooke dove into the water to avoid it, when she resurfaced she saw that the rock was demolished. Sophia swam over and picked her up and they kept swimming away, leading the rampaging pokemon away from the island.
They kept leading it far from the island, Sophia occasionally challenging it more and more to keep it following them, and they had a couple close calls with attacks. But suddenly, when the island was just out of view, a net came from the water and wrapped up gyarados. Sophia and Brooke stopped and watched as several boats sped over. They were all identical white speedboats with a bright blue "S" painted on the side. "Team Sapphire! What do you all want with this Gyarados!" They looked over. "Not this brat again!"
"How'd she lead Gyarados away from the island!?"
"It doesn't matter, the plans aren't off, yet! Go, Sharpedo! Take care of them!" One grunt released his pokemon, and the others started to follow. Soon, there were several Sharpedo and Mareanie surrounding them. "Solomon, help us out!" Brooke released her Luxray. "Solomon, use thunder! Sophia, use Whirlpool! Get them out of here!" Solomon let his tail in the water and conducted his electricity through it, electrocuting all the opponents' pokemon, the ships, and the Team Sapphire members themselves. "Thanks, guys. Return, Solomon. Sophia, get me to one of those boats." She returned Solomon and jumped on Sophia's back again, and headed to what looked like the lead ship. She hopped over the side. The boat's machinery was fried from her thunder attack, and the grunts were groaning in pain. "What did Team Sapphire want with this Gyarados!?"
"As if we'd tell a brat like you." One of them spat. Brooke put a hand to her belt, threatening to release another one of her pokemon. "Okay! Okay! Fine! Our plan was to distract the police with the rampaging Gyarados so we could steal the pokemon from the island."
"So you aggravated this poor pokemon for your own selfish reasons!?"
"This Gyarados will be saved! Along with all the rest of the Pokemon in the Maroh Region when our leader finally frees them to the care of Team Sapphire, and those who can care for them!" Brooke rolled her eyes and jumped from the boat, back onto Sophia. "Use ice punch on Gyarados' net and get us back to the island! We have to get back there immediately."
Gyarados was freed, and had finally calmed down. They raced back to the island as fast as they could, maybe Team Sapphire's plans hadn't gone through.
Back on the Island, everyone was in the Pokemon Center. Charles was nervously pacing, Lukas was staring at the door, waiting for his trainer to return, and Logan was holding onto the clothes that Brooke had left behind. The police were checking the damage of the wreckage and helping anyone who may have gotten hurt or trapped. "Are you all okay?" They looked over when Alex and Emil raced over to them. "Brooke went out to lead Gyarados away, that's why it left so quickly. She's been gone for almost an hour and she isn't back yet."
"I'll take Aria out after them!" Alex made a move to leave the Center, but her fiance stopped her. "Alex, no, it's too dangerous. We'll give her some more time, she should be back soon." Reluctantly, Alex nodded and stayed, knowing he was right.
Brooke and Sophia finally arrived back at the Island and were relieved to see that the only damage done was by the Gyarados. She climbed back up onto the boardwalk and returned Sophia. "Good job, girl. You deserve a long rest." She walked back into the Center, soaking wet and tired. "UMBREE!" She stopped in her tracks when Lukas raced up to her and jumped in her arms. She laughed a bit. "Sorry I left you behind, buddy!" He nuzzled her cheek. "Brooke!" Several voices yelled and everyone raced up to her. "Hey everyone!"
"Brooke! Thank goodness you're all right! You had all of us worried sick!" Charles scolded, although there was nothing in his voice but relief. He wrapped a towel around her shoulders and Lukas jumped back to the ground. "I'm okay, guys, really." She went and sat down on the couches and started drying herself off. "I just want a nice long, warm shower, a good meal, and to go to bed. Fighting a Gyarados and Team Sapphire and swimming that much can wear a girl out."
"Team Sapphire?" Alex repeated. "Right." Brooke nodded. "They were behind all of this. Their plan was to distract the police with Gyarados and lead them away from the island, and steal all the pokemon." Brooke explained, squeezing her hair into the towel. "Well, we can't worry about that right now. We're just lucky that Brooke's okay and she kept them from taking out their plans. You all get her back to the cruise, Emil and I will talk to Officer Jenny." They nodded and Brooke eagerly walked with her friends back to the ship.
Somewhere in the Maroh Region, Team Sapphire's base was hidden and the four elites stood at attention in front of a hologram of their boss. "I can't believe our operation at Sakana Island failed! How did this happen?"
"It's that girl again, Sir. Brooklyn Areca."
"Hmmm... And what about her friend? The boy? Is he still at the Ranger Academy?"
"Yes, Sir."
"He hasn't come around, yet, has he."
"No, Sir, but we persist." The boss' fists tightened. "Good. And what of the machine?"
"Preparations are coming along well. The other operations we've used as distractions from Professor Pine's facilities have proved fruitful. They focus so much on the pokemon, they don't realize we're always after the technology." The boss smiled wickedly. "Good."
"And Sir."
"Yes, Maroon?"
"We've learned that the Champion is on the Battle Cruise currently, and while the Gyarados was attacking, we learned which room was hers."
"And?"
"Well, Sir, it we can get a handle on her pokemon, that would inhibit her when our plans go into effect." The boss thought for a moment, and nodded. "Go through with it, Maroon. I give you control of this operation. Do not disappoint me. You're all dismissed." They all saluted "Yes, Sir!" They answered in unison and the hologram disappeared.