Battling Rivalry ~A Pokemon Love Story

::Seventeen::

"(Y/N), wake up!"

"(Y/N)!"

A sudden vigorous shake tore you from your unconsciousness, and then you realized someone was holding you, shaking your shoulder. You wiggled your eyelids open, staring up at the face looking down worriedly at you. You quirked a brow.

"Gary?"

"Thank god!" He breathed. He breathed a sigh of relief. He helped you stand up, but that's when your world went upside down. Literally. You glanced around, seeing the entire room was flipped on it's head.

"What happened? Why is the room upside down?" You asked. Gary pointed behind his shoulder at the suspicious looking window.

"Just look out the window"

You moved past your friend, peeking outside at the small window. You gasped, seeing the outside flooded with the ocean. Small sea life passed by the window. You dared not to look down, because you'd only feel small and insignificant.

"What happened? Why are we under water?!" You exclaimed.

"While you were having a nap, the ship sunk underwater. I told you, we should've left when we had the chance"

"I'm sorry, Gary. They probably got out on their own. I just" You paused.

Gary laid his hands on your shoulders "There's no time to be sorry. This ship is underwater. So we gotta find a way out before it fills up"

You stared at your friend with your eyebrows furrowed. You nodded. "You're right"

Walking along the empty, and upside down hallways of the ship, the both of you tried to figure out a plan to get out.

"Judging by where we are, the deck must be below us, so we can either go up or down" You said, glancing around. You really did hope your friends made it out okay. And if they didn't get out, then you hoped they were on the same page as you, and figuring a way out.

The two of you had little conversation while you walked the empty hallways. Was he mad at you? For what? Trying to save your friends? You side glanced at the boy, holding pikachu in your arms.

"Gary, I-" Before you could even finish your sentence, you were cut off by a rigid rumble. You both glanced around, trying to find a source of the noise.

"What is that?" He asked. You cupped a hand around your ear. You could also hear an evident creek from below you. It was a mixture between creaking floor boards, and the rushing of a river.

"It sounds like it's coming from below us" You added. But it also sounded very close, as if it were in the next corridor. You both looked ahead. You both backed up slightly. Suddenly, bursting through the door, was pools of ocean water, threatening to flood the level you were on. You both gasped, trying to make a run for higher land. It didn't seem like enough to fill the entire room to the ceiling, so at least there was a good chance of you not drowning

The sound of water rushing was basically the only thing you both could hear. The room started to fill up with water, and soon, you were up to your neck in water. Having little ability to swim, you tried to swat at the water. Remembering of your inability to swim, Gary suddenly latched himself onto you, letting your nerves calm down.

"I got you" He smiled, while the both of you tried to float at the top. The water had seemed to slow down, and no longer rushed in.

"We have to get out of here"

And you knew exactly how. With your bodies floating, you tried to move your hand to your belt, trying to take out a pokeball.

"Blastoise! Help us out!" A giant blue pokemon emitted from his ball, with a giant shell attached to it's back, and water gun pistols on it's back. It moaned it's name.

"Help us find a way to dryer land!" You exclaimed with water up to your neck. It seemed to understand your command. The both of you held onto it's big shell, and tried to navigate through the large body of water. In order to find better land, you both would have to dive under water.

"We'll have to dive under. That way, we can find land easier" You said. Gary nodded at you. He liked how smart you were in tight situations.

"Ready?" He asked.

You nodded "Ready"

Latched onto Blastoise, you both gulped hard for air, and dove straight under water. Holding your breathe, Blastoise navigated through the large, now flooded, hallway. Obviously, you couldn't speak underwater, so you had to communicate through motion. You both glanced around, trying to find anything.

It wasn't until a few seconds later that a small slightly familiar pokemon came into your view. A small, fish like pokemon with a horn attached to it's head came swam around.

'That looks like..'

You went to open your mouth, but only bubbles came out. You covered your mouth.

"Goldeen" It spoke. It motioned for you both to follow. Trying to repress the water from entering your lungs, you quickly followed the goldeen, as it motioned you to follow. Blastoise guided you both through the flooded hallway, following the horned pokemon. You were a little relieved, seeing this Goldeen appear. You had a hunch that it belonged to Misty. Both you and Gary glanced at each other, and then back at the small fish pokemon.

It suddenly stopped in front of you, and you were running out of air in your lungs. Fast. Blastoise could tell your discomfort, and brought the two of you up to the surface of the water. You both gasped for air after you reached breathable air, and leaned on the shell of the back of your water pokemon.

"That was..close" You breathed.

"(Y/N)?" A familiar male voice spoke. Both you and Gary looked up, seeing your three friends standing on a slanted ground that was dry, and leveled away from the water.

"And Gary?" Ash inquired.

"Are you guys okay?" Misty asked.

"Yeah, were okay" You both nodded. "I thought that Goldeen looked familiar"

"Speaking of which" She crossed her arms, looking around "Where is Goldeen?"

You tilted your head, and both glanced around, seeing Goldeen was no where in sight.

"It was here just a minute ago"

After getting out of the water, you returned your large pokemon to it's pokeball, and tried to wring your clothes, to rid somewhat of the water. Your pikachu shook it's body to rid some of the water on it's hair.

Gary suddenly pushed past Ash, and stood next to you, which seemed to tick the trainer off.

"Watch it" Ash grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's weird. Goldeen was right there in front of us. I dunno where it could've gone off to" You explained to Misty.

A few seconds later, a few bubbles started to rise from the water, and the rest of you looked at the surface suspiciously. A few seconds passed, and a weird shadow began to rise as well. Three familiar looking bodies popped up out of the water, with Goldeen trailing in front of them. However, they appeared lifeless, and or dead.

The five of you shrieked, seeing team rocket appear like that out of no where. Goldeen suddenly gave them a push onto the slanted floor, while still unconscious.

"Are, they okay?" You asked, inching your neck toward them carefully. The three of them suddenly spit up water. The five of you exchanged glances, and looked back down at the three thieves.

They looked up at you, which from their view, was upside down. Once they were no longer groggy, they hopped to their feet.

"It's like taking candy from a baby" Jessie said, holding out a pokeball. I don't think now is a smart idea for a pokemon battle.

Ash, Brock, and Gary smirked, pulling out their pokeballs, ready for battle, while both you and Misty stood with your heads shook.

"So, you followed us all the way down here, to the bottom of the sea?" Brock asked, with a pokeball in hand. Team Rocket released their pokemon, Ekans, and Koffing, while Ash and Brock brought out Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Geodude. Gary took out his Arcanine.

"Do you guys really think now is the time to-"

Your speech was suddenly cut off, as the ship was suddenly tipped back, throwing both you, your friends, and team rocket to one side of the room, along with your pokemon. The pokemon was pushed up against you, thanks to their extra weight.

"Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Ekans, Koffing, Geodude, Arcanine! To the other side of the ship!" Ash exclaimed, hoping to balance the weight out. The pokemon scurried to the other side, only for you to slide to the other side. After a few more attempts, you finally butted in.

"This isn't working! You guys need to call back everyone!" You said as you clutched to the side of the ship's wall.

"Team Rocket will beat us if we do!" Ash added. Brock nodded.

"She has a point, though" Gary said. Gary retrieved his Arcanine to it's pokeball. Brock and Ash glanced at each other.

"We have bigger problems!" You exclaimed.

Ash and Brock returned their pokemon to their pokeballs.

"That goes for you too" You said, glancing at Team Rocket. "If you wanna live, that is"

Jessie growled "She's right" Both Jessie and James returned their pokemon. All of you stood up. You placed your hands on your hips.

"Alright, so it's decided. We all work together, for the time being"

You glanced behind your shoulder, seeing everyone glaring at each other. You cleared your throat in an attempt to get their attention. A few seconds passed, and they shook hands. But then you wondered something.

"And that goes for you too" You glanced at both Ash and Gary, knowing well of their feud now. Ash and Gary glanced at each other with hard glares. You glanced at them back and forth, in hopes that they would comply. They didn't have to be friends, they just had to get along, for the time being, anyway.

Gary smirked at the black haired trainer "I wont shake your hand"

You went to open your mouth

"But, i'll comply"

You gave a small smile. You glanced at the ball capped boy. He stared at the brunette with a serious look in his eye.

"Deal"

"Good, then it's decided. We all agree there will be no fights. After that, you're all free to pull each others hairs out" You said, placing your hands on your hips.

"Since the upper deck is below us, and the lower deck is above our heads, I say we go up" You said.

"Yeah, but how do we get there?" Ash asked. Gary turned to you.

"Didn't you build a St. Anne in school?" He asked. Everyone else seemed surprised at this. You crossed your arms.

"Yeah. But it was a model"

"We're doomed" You heard Jessie say. You shook your head.

"Nope. Building a model of the ship helped me to learn all about the ships structure. Since the deck is blocked off, we'll have to climb up to the bottom of the ship, and cut a hole in the floor for a way out"

Everyone made an 'o' face.

Glancing over at an upside down staircase, Brock brought his rock pokemon out, known as Onix, in hopes of building a stair case. One after another, everyone started to climb the snake pokemon. Once you got to the top, you were met with a very dark hallway, and it was hard for anyone to see a thing.

"I can't see a thing" You heard Misty say.

You dug into your poke-ball belt "Charmander! Give us some light!" Out of the pokeball, was a small, orange lizard, with a flame on it's tail, automatically brightening up the dark hallway. With the way you were going, the hallway would lead to the engine room, as that's where the walls are the thinnest, granting you a chance to cut a way out.

You were met with a metal door, pulling it open. You all gasped, looking down to the bottom, seeing everything was set ablaze.

"How're we suppose to get across?" Ash asked, glancing at the door from across the engine room.

"Jessica, if we don't make it off this ship, I want you to know-"

"Quit being so dramatic!" You exclaimed. "There's more ways we haven't thought of"

Ash seemed to ponder for a moment.

"Do you know of a way out?" You asked. His face suddenly lit up

"I got it! Bulbasaur! I choose you!" He tossed a pokeball, and out came the small, plant like pokemon. "Use your vine whip to make a bridge to the other side!"

"Hey, good thinking!" You smiled. Gary smirked.

"Yeah, for once, you actually thought of something smart"

You laughed nervously, seeing a vein pop on Ash's forehead. With that in mind, the five of you slowly, and carefully started to make your way across on the vines that led to the other side. With Gary trailing close behind you, you did feel a little bit safer. However, Team Rocket was still in the same spot from before.

You made a bad decision of glancing down at the floor's long and burning drop, suddenly feeling a wave of nervousness in your gut. You gasped, almost losing your footing. But thankfully, you felt a pair of arms from behind catch you by the elbows.

"It's best if you don't look down" You heard Gary say beside your ear. You nervously chuckled.

"Thanks. I'll remember that" You carefully straightened your posture. You couldn't see it, but he shot you a small grin from behind you. While looking up, you could've sworn you could see Ash giving you both the side eye. But, you brushed it off, and made it to the other side of the room. Team Rocket quickly made it to the other side, not to mention stalling for a moment. Now being on the other side, you needed to figure a way to carve a hole big enough to squeeze through. As the ship began to creak from the water pressure, you had to act fast.

"We gotta figure a way to get out" Ash added. You glanced all around at the people surrounding you. You dug into your pocket. It had been awhile since you used Ninetails.

"Ninetails! I choose you!" You tossed a pokeball, and out came a beautiful fox pokemon with many tails, and a golden shiny coat.

"Ninetails, think you can weld a hole through the ship?"

With fiery blast, Ninetails began to carved a hole in the ship. Once the hole was pierced, you'd be able to escape, with the help of your water pokemon.

"The only way we can get out is by water pokemon. Grab a water pokemon, and hang on!"

While Ninetails quickly worked at the metal wall, you dug into your pocket, and let out both of your water pokemon, Blastoise, and Vaporeon. You shucked your backpack off your shoulders, and dug through, pulling out yards of rope. You handed everyone each a piece long enough for them to tie it around their waist and to their pokemon.

Ash, Brock and Misty tied ropes to their waist, as did you. You lent your Blastoise to Gary, and you tied the rope connecting you to your Vaporeon. Ash was tied to his Squirtle, Brock was lent Misty's Starmie, and she, with her Goldeen. But that only left Team Rocket.

Ninetails finished carving the hole, and suddenly water pushed through the ceiling. You quickly returned Ninetails to it's ball, and pikachu latched onto your shoulder.

"What are we suppose to do?" Jessie exclaimed. You quirked a brow

"It's like I said. Grab a water pokemon" You suddenly took a very deep breath, and let Vaporeon drag you up through the hole with your friends to follow you close behind. Holding onto your breath, and your water pokemon, Vaporeon swam up fast, knowing well that you couldn't hold your breathe for a long period of time.

Once you all got to the surface, you needed to find something to remain on for the time being, until you could find dry land. Surrounding you, was pieces, and items that was once from the ship, that was now at the bottom of the ocean. You all glanced around, trying to find anything.

"Over there!" You heard Brock exclaimed. You looked over your shoulder, seeing a large floating platform, that seemed suitable enough to hold the five of you. You moved toward the large wood. You detached yourself from your companion, as did your friends.

Gary held out his hand for you to grab onto to pull you up. Even though Ash thought he was perfectly capable of helping you out. Gary hoisted you onto the wooden platform. You all returned your pokemon to your pokeballs, and finally let yourself rest. You heavily sighed, dropping on your bottom, with your arms sprawled behind you. You returned all of your pokemon to their balls, as did your friends.

"I wonder if Team Rocket made it okay" You breathed, to catch your breathe. You all glanced around, seeing no sign of the trio.

"Maybe they didn't make it out" Ash added. You furrowed your brows. You shouldn't feel bed, considering all the times they tried to capture you and your pokemon. But they weren't all that bad you figured.

"We can't worry about that now. We have to focus on finding dry land" Gary said. You nodded, humming in agreement. You heard Ash suddenly hmph. You glanced over at him, quirking a brow. I guess working together is over. You thought to yourself.

You hoped they weren't going to be like this the entire time you were trying to find a way to get back on route to Saffron. You looked back over at Gary, who was smirking, in a dominant way. He knew it hurt Ash to see you so friendly with him.

"Come on, can't you guys get along?" You asked. "What do you guys have against each other?"

"He thinks he's so much better than me!" Ash exclaimed.

"I don't think, I know" Gary smirked. Ash balled his hands into fists, gritting his teeth at him. Gary loved to get Ash worked up. You didn't even have to ask Gary to know. He loved to get Ash worked up, but deep down, you knew he liked Ash, way more than he was willing to admit.

You stood up, suddenly breaking the two up, before it got uglier. "There's no time to bicker. Ash, why don't you try to find dry land using Pidgeoto?"

He stared for a second "Oh, right!" He sent out his Pidgeoto to find something of use, perhaps an island, food, and maybe even people. You stared off at the bird as it flew in the distance.

Ten minutes passed, and while you were all sitting around, the Pidgeoto came flying back. But it appeared to have retrieved something. It was holding onto a rope, that was attached to a fish pokemon known as a Magikarp. But it had three familiar looking, unconscious thieves attached to it. They looked so lifeless..almost dead even.

The five of you hoisted the trio onto the dock, staring at the.

"Are they..dead?" Misty asked.

"I think so" You heard Ash say with a sorrowful tone. Not even they deserved this. The five of you exchanged glances. It was in your best bet to give them a proper burial at sea. You went to shove the three of them off the dock, but when they started to make movement, the five of you shrieked, stepping back.

"Zombies!" The five of you exclaimed. The three of them glared up at you.

"We're not zombies! How dare you!" Jessie snarled.

The beading sun shone upon your head, and you could feel your mind cooking from the heat. You had only been out there for a total of two hours? four hours? You lost count. You regretted not stuffing your face way more than you did, when you were on the ship, had you known you'd be in this situation. You felt your stomach grumble.

"I'm so hungry" You heard Gary and Ash say in unison. Atleast there was something they both agreed on. You sighed. Ash and Brock stared at the flimsy fish pokemon in the middle of the deck. You glanced at them, seeing drool coming from their lips. You glared at them.

"I hate to tell you guys this, but drooling's not gonna make anything better" You mentioned.

"Don't you read anything? Magikarp are just scale and bones" Gary scoffed. "What a loser"

He could atleast be a little bit nicer about it.

"Mind your own business, Gary!" Ash exclaimed.

"Come on, you guys. Don't start" You reasoned. "Look, we're all hungry. Fighting isn't going to fill our stomachs"

You suddenly heard James get real irritated. You looked over your shoulder.

"This pokemon is useless! It can't even provide us food!" He stood up, and suddenly gave it a swift kick. "I don't want to be your master!"

Magikarp went spiraling into the water, not even phased by it. It simply went back to splashing about. You furrowed your brows.

"Good riddance" James hmphed.

"I feel sorry for it" You said, looking on at the dumbfound fish. While it flipped about, the Magikarp suddenly began to flash a bright light. Everyone stared at the flimsy fish in anticipation. Uh oh.

"What's happening?" James asked.

"Nothing good!" You exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked. Magikarp suddenly grew fifty feet taller in an instant as it's body started to morph into a completely different being. A mighty roar suddenly boomed in your ears. As the light that cascaded around the being faded, a large, sea creature presented itself to you. A blue, angry looking sea creature loomed over the dock, staring at you with a fury. You all shrieked at the giant creatures presence.

"Gyarados!" Misty exclaimed.

"Gyarados?" Ash inquired.

"It's Magikarp's evolved form!" You exclaimed, looking up at the giant creature that loomed over you.

"It doesnt look very happy either" Gary added, looking at it's enraged features.

"I miss Magikarp!" Jessie whined. Ash dug into his poke-dex, having dexter read over Gyarados' index.

Gyarados once again roared in rage. You gritted your teeth in fear. You dug into your pocket, throwing two pokeballs out.

"Vaporeon! Blastoise!"

The giant turtle-like pokemon floated in the water, beside the beautiful blue pokemon with fin's as a mane.

"Do you have a strategy?" Gary asked. You smirked nervously.

"Yup!" You stared up at the angry pokemon. "I sure do!" No you didn't. You chuckled nervously.

"Run!" You shouted, commanding your pokemon to start dragging the dock, moving farther away from the Gyarados, as it began to chase after you. You took one of the ore's and began to push against the water, as did Ash. But once it seemed like it stopped following you, the ride stopped. You all stared the lonely Gyarados in confusion. A pokemon like that could blast you all into next week. Why would it stop?

Gyarados suddenly cried out, giving a fearful roar, unlike the moans from before.

"What's it doing? Did we win?" James asked. You stared at the giant creature suspiciously. But something suddenly clicked in your mind. You often heard stories about the Gyarados from the newspapers. Some would say they heard cries from the sea. The sky suddenly grew darker, and the water began to ripple, creating huge waves.

"I've heard about this! It's dragon rage!" Misty exclaimed. Appearing out of nowhere, three other Gyarados emerged from the water, looking just as pissed off. They stared at you in anger. They dismissed their looks, and began to form a rotating circle in the waves, forming a giant tornado like whirlpool. So this was what Dragon Rage looked like. In it's spinning doom, the tornado suddenly began to move closer to you in a rapid pace, making all of you cautious.

"We need to move it!" Gary exclaimed. He suddenly looked you. You shook your head.

"No ones ever gotten away" You looked at him with worry. With the tornado rapidly approaching, you all braced yourself's for impact. You felt Gary suddenly latch onto your wrist, almost as if on instinct. You glanced down at your wrist, seeing his hand latched onto it. You returned the gesture.

The tornado suddenly was mere inches from you, and you felt waves suddenly forcefully pull you forward, spinning you out of control. You still had a hold on your friends wrist, as tightly as you could. With your body spinning out of control, Ash and your friends had managed to grab a hold of your hands, holding onto you tightly. Pikachu was latched tightly onto your backpack, and you hoped she could stay on.

"Whatever happens, don't let go!" You heard Ash holler. You held onto your friends as tightly as you could. You peeked at Gary while the wind smacked at your face, and you managed to glance at Ash. You could feel your grasp on Gary's wrist start to slip. You tried for your life to hold on as long as you could. You suddenly heard your pokemon cry from behind you. You glanced behind you quickly, seeing your pokemon hanging by a nail. With your mind unfocused, you all slipped from each others grasps. You shrieked, spinning way out of control. The last thing you remembered was being separated from all of your friends before falling unconscious.