Chapter 31: Great Escape Under the Sea

As the Poké Balls opened, Misty sent out her Goldeen and Starmie, while Xia You and Ash released their respective Squirtles. The four Pokémon dove underwater and, positioning themselves before the nearest porthole, unleashed a synchronized Tackle attack.

The repeated impacts caused the glass to fracture, eventually creating a hole large enough for two people to pass through at once. Because the opening was completely submerged, there was no surge of seawater, nor was there any significant change in the cabin’s air pressure.

Once the Pokémon returned to the group, Brock retrieved several lengths of clothesline from his backpack, tying everyone securely to their respective Pokémon.

"Hey, hey!" Jessie exclaimed, panicking as she saw everyone paired with a Pokémon. "What about us? We don’t have any Water-type Pokémon!"

At that moment, Xia You released his Magikarp. In the original story, the Team Rocket trio had escaped the sinking ship thanks to this very Magikarp. It seemed that even with a change in ownership, they could not escape their fate.

James looked down at the flopping Magikarp and immediately recognized it. "Wait, isn't this the Magikarp from that unscrupulous merchant?"

Xia You nodded slightly. "That’s right. I bought it for 500 yen."

"That scoundrel!" James clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. "He talked such a big game, yet this Magikarp is really only worth 500 yen!"

"Alright," Xia You said to the trio. "Let this Magikarp take you out. But I’m warning you: it looks a bit dim-witted and might not understand human speech. If something goes wrong along the way, I won't be held responsible."

"That's right," Misty added. "And don't you try any tricks, or we’ll just abandon you to fend for yourselves!"

"Don't worry!" The trio shook their heads frantically, looking small and pathetic. "In a life-or-death situation like this, why would we cause any trouble?"

"That's right, meow!"

Despite this, Xia You gestured toward Meowth and said, "Just in case, Meowth, you come with me."

Meowth blinked, confused. "Huh? Why, meow?"

"Fool, it’s to keep you as a hostage, of course," Xia You replied, turning his gaze to Jessie and James. "Once we reach the surface, if you want to redeem Meowth, you'd better take good care of my Magikarp. Otherwise, I’ll be using it to settle your debts."

Hearing that he had been cast as a hostage, Meowth looked at Xia You with pure terror, while Jessie muttered under her breath, "Why does this guy seem more like a villain than we do?"

Once everything was arranged, Xia You returned Kirlia to its Poké Ball and tied Meowth to his waist. Brock then handed out empty water bottles to everyone. "I’m not sure if this trick will work, but it’s better to be safe than sorry—everyone should take one."

Xia You took out his phone and snapped a few photos. Though the situation was unfortunate, it was a rare experience for a lifetime and would serve as a precious memory. He then placed his phone, Pokédex, and wallet into a sealable plastic bag, tightened it, wrapped it securely in a raincoat, and tucked it into his backpack.

Finally, he put on his diving goggles and took out an underwater breathing apparatus. Although he could swim, he wasn't particularly skilled; he couldn't swim fast, nor could he keep his eyes open underwater like the others. This device was essentially a small, portable oxygen tank that provided three minutes of air under normal conditions, though he wasn't sure how long it would last at this depth.

Aside from him, everyone else held an empty water bottle in their mouths, looking quite comical. As they glanced at each other, their eyes were filled with amusement. Seeing that everyone was ready, Xia You clamped the mouthpiece in his teeth, gave an "OK" sign, and they all dove into the water together.

The currents beneath the surface were relatively calm. Pulled by the Squirtles, Xia You barely needed to exert any effort as he was dragged a great distance. Swimming along the corridor for another dozen meters, they finally reached the window broken by the Pokémon.

The group exited the cruise ship in an orderly fashion, then changed trajectory to swim toward the surface. Sunlight filtered through the water, casting hazy light and shadows. Visibility was poor; beyond a few meters, everything was pitch black. In the dim light, Xia You couldn't help but notice Misty’s fair legs kicking rhythmically before him—it was quite a sight.

She really looks like a mermaid...

As they ascended, the water pressure and currents caused the plastic bottles in everyone's mouths to deform. One by one, they were forced to take a deep breath and discard them.

After swimming up a few more meters, Xia You glanced back and saw that the ropes connecting Jessie and James had somehow become tangled. They were spinning uncontrollably, creating a counter-force against the Magikarp.

Seeing this, Xia You hurriedly tugged at the rope around his waist. His Squirtle turned back, and upon seeing the signal, swam back to the pair. Xia You reached out to help untangle them, but they were so tightly knotted that no amount of pulling could separate them.

Suddenly, a figure flashed by—it was Misty, who had noticed them lagging behind and come to help. Even so, they couldn't untangle the ropes. In the end, Meowth, unable to watch any longer, used his sharp claws to cut the rope at James's waist, finally freeing them.

However, in the struggle, Jessie accidentally kicked Misty in the abdomen. Misty felt a sharp pain and instinctively opened her mouth, releasing a stream of bubbles. Seeing that she was out of air, Xia You immediately pulled out his own breathing apparatus and passed it to her.

Misty didn't hesitate, grabbing the mouthpiece and taking a deep, desperate breath. It saved her life. She returned the apparatus to Xia You and gave him a thumbs-up to indicate she was okay.

Xia You nodded, signaled to the Squirtle, and together with Misty, they each grabbed one of James's arms. With the help of the two Pokémon, they resumed their ascent. After that incident, the rest of the journey went smoothly. The light above grew brighter, and after another dozen meters, they broke through the surface, finally clear of danger.