Bab 31: 31. The Escape
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As the Poké Ball was opened, Misty sent out her Goldeen and Starmie. Kai and Ash also released their respective Squirtles, and the four Water-type Pokémon dove into the water.
Together, they repeatedly tackled the ship's window.
The continuous impacts gradually weakened the window until it finally broke, leaving a large hole big enough for two people to pass through simultaneously.
Because the hole was already submerged underwater, no additional seawater rushed in, nor did it disrupt the cabin's air pressure.
When the Pokémon returned, Brock pulled out some drying ropes from his backpack and tied everyone to their respective Pokémon.
"Hey!" Jessie exclaimed anxiously when she saw everyone had a Water-type Pokémon. "What about us? We don't have any Water Pokémon!"
At that moment, Kai released his Magikarp.
In the anime, Team Rocket had once escaped a shipwreck using James's Magikarp.
Unexpectedly, even after changing owners, this Magikarp's fate seemed to remain the same.
James looked at the flopping Magikarp and immediately recognized it. "Ah! Isn't this the Magikarp from that shady salesman?!"
Kai nodded slightly. "That's right. I bought it for 500 Pokédollars."
"That scoundrel!" James clenched his fists in frustration. "He talked it up so much, but this Magikarp is only worth 500 Pokédollars!"
"Alright," Kai said, turning to Team Rocket. "Let this Magikarp take you out. But let me warn you just look at it. It's clumsy and might not understand human commands, so I'm not responsible if anything happens to you along the way."
"That's right!" Misty added. "And don't try anything sneaky, or we'll leave you behind!"
"Don't worry!" Team Rocket quickly shook their heads, adopting a humble demeanour. "We'd never dare cause trouble in a life-and-death situation!"
"Yeah, meow!" added Meowth.
Still, Kai pointed at Meowth. "Just in case, Meowth, you're coming with me."
"Me? Why? Meow?" Meowth asked, startled.
"Of course, you'll be my hostage," Kai replied flatly. He then turned to Jessie and James. "If you want Meowth back after we escape, take care of my Magikarp. Otherwise, I'll use it to settle the score."
Horrified at being made a hostage, Meowth stared at Kai, while Jessie muttered under her breath, "This guy's more villainous than we are!"
With everything arranged, Kai recalled his Kirlia into its Poké Ball and tied Meowth securely to his waist.
Brock, meanwhile, gathered a few empty plastic bottles and handed them out. "I don't know if this will help, but it's better than nothing. Everyone should take one."
Kai then took out his phone and snapped a few photos of the scene. Despite the dire situation, he considered it a once-in-a-lifetime memory.
He sealed his phone, Pokédex, and wallet in waterproof bags, double-wrapped them in a raincoat, and stored them in his backpack.
Finally, he pulled out a pair of diving goggles and a portable underwater rebreather.
Although he could swim, his underwater skills weren't great he couldn't move fast or keep his eyes open underwater like the others.
The rebreather, a small portable oxygen tank, could provide three minutes of air under normal conditions, though he wasn't sure how long it would last at this depth.
With everyone ready, Kai put the rebreather in his mouth, gave an "OK" gesture, and joined the others in the water.
The currents beneath the surface were relatively stable. Kai, tied to his Squirtle, was pulled along effortlessly.
After swimming down a corridor for several meters, they finally reached the shattered window.
One by one, they exited the cruise ship and began swimming toward the surface.
Sunlight filtered faintly through the water, casting shimmering patterns, though visibility was poor beyond a few meters. The surrounding darkness was vast and ominous.
Amid the faint light, Kai could see Misty's legs swaying ahead of him, resembling a mermaid's graceful movements.
As they swam, the plastic bottles in their mouths began deforming under the water pressure and their breathing.
One by one, they discarded the bottles after taking deep breaths.
A few meters further, Kai glanced back and noticed Jessie and James struggling.
Their ropes had become tangled, causing them to spin helplessly and generate resistance against Magikarp's efforts.
Seeing this, Kai pulled his rope to signal Squirtle, who turned back to assist.
Kai swam toward Jessie and James, attempting to untangle their ropes, but the knots were too tight to undo underwater.
Just then, Misty noticed the delay and swam back to help. Despite their combined efforts, the ropes wouldn't budge.
Finally, Meowth lost his patience, slashing James's rope with his sharp claws and freeing them.
Unfortunately, during the struggle, Jessie's foot accidentally kicked Misty in the stomach.
"Glub... glub... gurgle..."
Misty winced in pain and instinctively opened her mouth, releasing the last of her air in a stream of bubbles.
Noticing this, Kai immediately removed his rebreather and handed it to Misty. She quickly took it, inhaling deeply to regain her composure.
After a moment, Misty returned the rebreather to Kai, giving him a thumbs-up to signal she was fine.
Kai nodded in acknowledgement and motioned for Squirtle and Starmie to resume pulling them upward.
The rest of the journey went smoothly, with no further mishaps. The light above grew brighter as they ascended.
Finally, after several more meters, they broke through the surface and escaped the sinking ship.
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