Chapter 202: 202. Shamouti Island

Words : 1216 Updated : Oct 3rd, 2025

---- It had been a long time since Kai had last seen Misty and Ash, and their conversation seemed endless. With Kai's humour and wit, even Tracey occasionally joined in. Before they knew it, the speedboat was filled with laughter. ---- Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Orange Islands, a strange floating fortress hovered over a cluster of islands. Inside its control room, a peculiar-looking man studied a large map displayed on a monitor. A sinister smirk crept across his face. "Soon, my dream will come true. The Fire Guardian, the Ice Guardian, and the Lightning Guardian... Even the Guardian of the Sea each one will become part of my collection!" At that moment, the radar screen blinked, and an artificial female voice echoed throughout the control room. "Detected three legendary Pokémon life signals. Do you wish to engage?" The man stood up and approached a massive floor-to-ceiling window. Through the reinforced glass, he looked down upon the three islands below. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes as he pressed a button. A transmission was sent. In the next instant, machinery hummed to life. The fortress's weapon system deployed, extending multiple cannons that locked onto one of the islands before unleashing a barrage of firepower. Boom! Boom! The explosions ripped through the island, tearing apart the landscape. Trees were reduced to splinters, rocks shattered, and the terrain was permanently scarred. After a dozen rounds of bombardment, a fierce cry pierced through the destruction. From the depths of a hidden cave, a Moltres emerged in a fiery blaze, screeching in fury as it soared toward the floating fortress. Spotting its target, the fortress's cannons swivelled, opening fire on the incoming Moltres. However, despite the repeated bombardment, the legendary bird pressed on. When it finally reached the fortress, it unleashed a massive inferno, sending flames surging toward its mechanical adversary. In that moment, as fire and steel clashed, the very skies seemed to tremble. --- The vast blue sky, the crisp sea breeze, and the gentle sway of the waves made for a peaceful journey. Aboard the speedboat, after talking for so long, everyone had grown a little hoarse. With the excitement of their unexpected reunion fading, a comfortable silence settled over the group as they each found a spot to relax. Kai leaned against the railing, sipping some water as he chatted softly with Misty, who was kneeling beside him, listening intently. Across from them, Sabrina gazed out at the sea, seemingly lost in thought. She could still hear Kai recounting their shared experiences, but every so often, she stole a glance at Misty, assessing her with an unreadable expression. She didn't consider Misty a romantic rival. Her age alone made that impossible, but the girl's proximity to Kai still made Sabrina uncomfortable. Her eyes flicked to Misty's barely noticeable curves. 'Hmph' Sabrina sighed and shook her head slightly, 'Forget it. She's just a child. No need to concern myself with her' --- The speedboat sliced through the waves, making steady progress toward their next destination. Soon, the silhouette of a city appeared on the horizon. Maren, who was steering the boat, called out to the group, "We're almost there, guys! Get your things ready!" However, just as she spoke, the sky abruptly darkened. Heavy storm clouds rolled in at an unnatural speed, swallowing the sunlight and plunging everything into shadow. "Huh? Did the weather change all of a sudden?" Misty asked in confusion. Kai narrowed his eyes, studying the ominous sky. "No... This isn't natural. This must be the work of a Pokémon." "A Pokémon!?" Ash and Misty both turned to him, startled. What kind of Pokémon could manipulate the weather so drastically? "He's right," Maren agreed. "The ocean can be unpredictable, but it still follows patterns. The sky doesn't just blacken out of nowhere like this." Before anyone could react, a towering wave rose up and crashed against the boat. The sudden impact sent everyone tumbling across the deck. Maren, who had been steering, was caught off guard and fell to the floor. The boat's rudder spun wildly. In an instant, the vessel veered off course, now at the mercy of the raging currents. Struggling to her feet, Maren lunged for the controls, gripping the wheel with all her strength. But no matter how hard she tried, the rudder wouldn't budge. "It's no use!" she shouted. "The boat's out of control! I can't steer it!!" Ash tried to help, but before he could reach her, another massive wave struck the boat! "Hold on, everyone! Don't fall overboard!" Maren cried out. The storm's fury was relentless. Lightning streaked through the clouds, the wind howled, and the sea churned with unrelenting waves. Amidst the chaos, a chilling realization dawned upon them all humans were insignificant before the raw power of nature. The boat rocked violently, carried by the raging currents... --- No one knew how much time had passed before the wind finally began to die down. The waves settled, the sea grew calmer, and a moment of peace returned. Slowly, the group began to stir, glancing around in confusion. Maren, still dazed, rubbed her temples before finally recognizing their surroundings. Her eyes widened in shock. "No way... This is Shamouti Island!? How did we end up here!?" Kai blinked. Shamouti Island? He knew this place well. Looks like fate is at work again. Every time I run into Ash in the wild, something big always happens... Misty looked concerned. "Maren, are we far from where we were supposed to go?" "Yeah," Maren admitted. "We've drifted way off course. We're near the centre of the Orange Islands now. But... since we're already here, we might as well take a break." By then, the speedboat had drifted into a quiet inlet. It floated toward a small beach near the port before washing ashore with a gentle scrape against the sand. Ash was the first to jump onto land, taking in a deep breath. "Finally! Solid ground! That was way too intense!" "I think..." Tracey suddenly stiffened, his voice trembling. "We might have another problem..." Everyone turned to him in confusion. Following Tracey's gaze, they spotted something atop the stone breakwater an entire group of bizarre creatures watching them. At first glance, they appeared humanoid, but they had bird-like heads covered in vibrant feathers. Their bodies, too, were draped in colourful plumage. They remained eerily silent. Then, without warning, they leapt down from the breakwater and surrounded the group, their strange eyes locked onto them. Misty yelped and hid behind Kai. The rest of the group instinctively reached for their Poké Balls, ready to defend themselves. But just as they were about to release their Pokémon, one of the "creatures" suddenly spoke in a perfectly normal human voice. "Wait... Is that Maren?" Everyone froze. The group exchanged glances, then looked closer. Now that they weren't blinded by shock, they realized something. These "creatures" weren't Pokémon. They were people. Dressed in elaborate bird costumes. ---- Don't forget to drop some Power Stones! For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon. P@treon/iamxeno Thank you so much for your support and for reading!

Chapter 202: 202. Shamouti Island

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