“Ah! I’m so excited I haven’t been able to go diving in a while.” Misty exclaimed as she stepped out of the changing room on the beach.

The service she had used was a tourist trap sort of place. So it was expensive. But going diving around the island had been worth it.

I was back in my wet suit with my rebreather. Standing just outside. I did quickly finish putting my bag into the lockers. Although I had a smaller bag I had bought full of pokeballs in case I found something to catch.

Misty looked at me, with my small rebreather while she had one of the much larger ones with a sigh. “Too bad this equipment is so old.”

“It’ll be fine. You’ll forget about it once you are in the water.”

“Heh! That’s true. C’mon!” She said hurrying down the concrete pier.

“Alright. Milotic! You’re up!” I called out, and my partner appeared trilling happily in the gentle waves.

“Arceus every time I see your Milotic it takes my breath away. You’re so handsome!” Misty gushed to me, and Milotic in turn kneeling down on the dock and offering her hand, and Milotic let her pet him a bit.

“Milotic is the best. You going to use any of your team?” I asked, and Misty nodded, a moment later a Starmie materialized.

“Starmie! Let’s go exploring!” Misty called and I laughed as she jumped into the water.

I jumped right in after her. Milotic instantly wrapping around me in a hug. The rebreather double checked and we were off, chasing after Misty who was riding her Starmie and racing ahead.

The water was pretty clear out here. Despite as we hurried out of the dock area the many many floaties and surfers above us.

None of that really mattered to us though. Because below us was the real treat.

Pokemon darted too and fro.

A lot of Krabby was my first thought. They wandered around the sea floor fighting each other and eating whatever they could get their claw into.

Shellder were also common. We passed over a trio of them all clustered together napping on a rock, but left them alone even if Misty circled them a few times practically squeeing at their cuteness.

She was a water type pokefreak after all.

I still remember the last time Milotic and I had done this it had been fun, but we were traveling. This was the first time I was doing it for fun!

I split off from Misty for a moment pointing for Milotic to see what I was looking at. There A small group of Seel were swimming around together snapping off crustaceans and things from the sides of rocks and mostly just playing.

So cute!

They startled at Milotic’s appearance, but when it was obvious I wasn’t a threat, they were soon swirling in the water around us spinning and playing before zipping off into the ocean.

We passed by a Magikarp as well. Just swimming around mindlessly. He didn’t even react to Milotic or I as he just kept swimming past us and then out into the fog of the ocean after a while.

Kinda sad.

I was distracted by Misty waving and holding up a Staryu in delight like she had found treasure.

I just laughed around my rebreather and Milotic and I hurried over. The Staryu was pinging, and Misty’s much bigger Starmie seemed to be responding, but even I had no clue what they were saying. Misty seemed perfectly content to hug the Pokemon regardless.

Something caught the corner of my eye and I looked gasping.

Corsola! I waved at misty and pointed and she seemed confused as I hurried over to the pink Pokemon resting in the sun.

Misty didn’t look very interested as I approached, but the Corsola quickly zipped away at our approach and I didn’t want to scare it. But Misty practically tackled me out of the way as Starmie chased after it, I looked over to Milotic who arched his head to meet my eyes and we both burst into giggles.

The look of desire on Misty’s face had been hilarious.

I wasn’t exactly surprised to see Johto Pokemon in the ocean in Kanto. It’s not like Pokemon cared about regions after all. And I had found Feebas of course.

But it was still a reminder that Pokedex information had been so far behind even in the old anime.

I shook it off and Milotic and I chased after Misty to see if she had managed a capture. When we finally found her she was floating morose in the water her Starmie zipping around her to perk her back up.

No go, I guess.

I swam over and patted her shoulder and she let out a long sigh, bubbles flowing around before she rose up and looked ready to continue.

We both swam further out. Over the shelf break and then down.

The light dropped off, but thankfully just on the side of the shelf break was a reef and a ton of pokemon and fish swimming around.

Misty this time pointed, and I nodded as we swam over an Octillery that quickly crawled into the reef to hide.

Remoraid swam around in big schools, and I watched as they turned and blitzed a school of fish. Their water attacks killing a fish each and then the school simply swam through and each picked up a fish to eat on the go.

Cool.

Misty and I explored the reef for a while. Finding even things like Goldeen in some corners, and a Seaking that was defending it’s territory.

I guess even if they were more river fish, it wasn’t like Pokemon cared about salt or fresh water.

I giggled as Misty absolutely geeked out at the Seaking eyes practically sparkling as she watched him swim around protecting his territory.

Milotic and I left her to it, instead exploring around the reef. Pokemon ducking away from his massive form, but there were some that didn’t mind. I was giggling as Milotic gave me a concerned look as Remoraid started attaching to his belly like they do with Mantine.

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Exploring a bit. I came face to face with another Octillery inside the reef his eyes glaring a bit and I quickly gave him an apologetic smile before slowly backing away. He ignored me after thankfully.

Then Milotic and I both felt it. A wave crashed into both of us, sending me almost tumbling and Milotic just rocking along the pressure for a second.

I reached up and grabbed onto him just as he charged.

We needed to find out what was going on!

Very quickly we figured it out as Misty came rushing right past us full speed on Starmie her eyes frantic. She didn’t stop just zooming right past us, and Milotic and I turned around to see what she was running from before both of us released a big pile of bubbles.

Gyarados! Angry Gyarados!

He was rushing right for us, but Milotic was incredibly agile under water, and we avoided his attempt to tackle and bite us. The massive angry boy smashing into the wall of the shelf break with a massive crash before he turned to try and fight us more.

What had Misty done?

Of course a moment later the girl in question zipped over and grabbed at me and tried to tug me along, frantic to get me out of there.

But there was no way I was going to run from this! Either this Gyarados needed help, or he needed some time out!

Despite Millotic already being free, I knew the exact best way to handle this fight!

I pulled out the pokeball from my hip and popped it open without throwing it, as I didn’t want to lose it in the waves. The gleaming white premier ball split and in a burst of red energy, that quickly expanded, causing the water pressure to push Misty and I both back, despite Milotic blocking for us.

And then there he was. His roar was actually really interesting under the water.

Instead of just pure rage and rocks smashing together, it almost sounded… Did Gyarados have a form of echolocation? It really sounded like stones cracking together in a rumble.

The wild Gyarados didn’t react well, instantly he went into a rage and attacked.

It gave me a moment to take in the differences.

Blue Heart was a lighter blue, more a sky color, than the darker ocean blue of the wild one. And he was smaller.

My biggest fish was actually kind of a smole boy.

Not that it mattered. The wild Gyarados’s charge ended instantly. Blue Heart smashing his head into the larger Gyarados in a blue of motion that once more sent me spinning away from the battle as the water pressure couldn’t handle it, and the wild Gyarados was smashed back into the wall, but this time against his will.

But that wasn’t the end. Rising up, the larger Gyarados raged as it charged back, and Blue Heart fought just like I had trained him.

He was smaller, but stronger, and much much faster.

The wild rage simply couldn’t reach and Blue Heart soon had the Gyarados by the throat and then just surged.

Blasting upwards his smaller body nonetheless hauling the large fish right along with him as he made for the surface.

I looked around and found Misty cowering, and for a second I wanted to poke and tease her, but I realized she wasn’t just cowering to avoid the attacks, but in actual fear.

She was shivering, terrified.

I waved to Milotic, and soon my good boy helped as I gently touched Misty and she only barely responded. He rose up below us and helped bring us back to the surface.

Which was stopped as Gyarados was there. Two of them still fighting.

That wild Gyarados… He shouldn’t be that strong. Something was wrong.

Blue Heart finally took a hit, a nasty tackle that rocked him back, but still barely fazed him, but this wild pokemon looked beat up but still raging.

They disappeared into the gloom once again.

I don’t… I don’t think that Gyarados was always wild. Too strong. Yet he was absolutely raging at… Misty? No I don’t think it was Misty. He went after me right after.

Trainers.

People.

I don’t think this Gyarados liked people very much.

My heart broke, but there was nothing I could do about it right now. Maybe talk to an Officer Jenny?

There was silence all of a sudden, and Milotic curled himself around Misty and I and growled the vibration in the water made my spine tingle.

There coming out of the water was the Wild Gyarados. He looked like he had just gone five rounds with Mike Tyson. Bruised and beaten.

Or at least he should be beaten.

He saw us, and that fight went back into him. He roared.

And then I felt it. Electric yet not. Fire but not as hot.

Light.

The slow brightening of light in the gloom of the shelf, I looked over, My Big Blue Heart must have come back and wrapped around to protect us. Because he was there.

I wouldn’t have been able to see it on land. Maybe if it was nighttime and dark, but light was slowly spreading up his tail, down his barrel, it brightened around his back fins, causing him to glow bright white from the inside out, more and more was gathered, and then his eyes opened pure white light spilled forth.

I forgot.

Gyarados. They aren’t just fish.

They are laser fish.

The Hyper Beam was everything I expected from one of the most powerful attacks in the pokemon world. A wild overwhelming power that wasn’t slowed at all from the water pressure. That considered water between it and it’s target to simply be an annoyance. The Hyper beam lanced out even as Milotic kept a hold on me, and Misty Starmie there as well, covering Misty, trying to protect her.

As everything went white.

—--

“Misty!” I called out as Milotic had brought us to the surface, I pulled off her rebreather and she was still awake. Eyes wide, and panting. Her breath coming out in sharp gasps.

“Hey. C’mon Misty. You’re okay. Everything is safe.”

“I.. I… I!” She stuttered as she seemed to finally come into control of herself.

“It’s okay. Fights over. Everything is peaceful now.” I looked over to the floating Gyarados. He was unconscious, but he would be fine after a bit. Blue Heart was still swimming below us, like a protective shark. Shooing away any of the native life that might want to see what is going on.

None even tried it. Most pokemon are smart enough to run and hide when two Gyarados go at it.

“Milotic. Take Misty to shore.” I ordered, as I slid off. Misty was competent to ride, but I don’t think sticking this close to Gyarados, either of them was helping. He nodded and quickly started off Misty easily adjusting to holding on, as the motion atop the water seemed to help her calm down.

Blue Heart came up under me, and I quickly adjusted, so I was standing on his crest. “Good job my heart.” I whispered bending down and scratching under his crest. He had done so well! That Hyper Beam!

I would never forget what it felt like to be so close when he fired. When he turned into something more than just a monster, and into a divine force.

I was maybe, just a little intimidated by Hyper Beam as a move. But to pull it out of nowhere? My Big Blue Heart was holding out on me!

Finally I turned my attention back to the unconscious Gyarados.

There was something I had to know.

I pulled out a pokeball and tossed it.

“Someone is going to die.” I hissed in rage as I stared at the floating Pokeball. The one that hadn’t even attempted a capture.

That meant this Gyarados belonged to someone.

—--

I knew it was going to cause some problems, but I couldn’t just leave the Gyarados out in the middle of the ocean.

He would definitely attack another trainer some day. So Blue Heart and I had slid under the larger pokemon and started dragging it back to Cinnabar.

We weren’t that far out, so already I could see people freaking out. Beach goers fleeing from the sight of a Gyarados approaching.

I sighed, nothing I could do, but just act.

Finally we reached the beach and we hauled the Gyarados up onto the beach as gently as we could.

“Come on out Chansey!” I called and Chansey bounced into existence on the sands dancing a little before hurrying over to the unconscious pokemon and offering her help.

Which is about when the sirens could be heard.

Officer Jenny came racing over the side of the pier on her bike. Getting massive air and then landing with only a little sliding of sand under her tires before slid slid to a stop and Growlithe was quickly released.

“Stop right there!”

I just raised my hands and waited. Jenny were pretty quick to jump the gun, but would also hear things out once it was needed.

While Jenny was quickly securing the scene and demanding answers. I looked around and spotted the red head further up the beach sitting on the steps leading up to the boardwalk looking back in fear. I just waved at her, and even waved off Milotic who was looking between me and Misty and he nodded, simply settling in to be with the redhead for a while.

“Are you listening? You are in deep trouble! Disrupting the beach! Bringing wild Gyarados out of the ocean! What are you thinking!”

“Neither Gyarados are wild.” I denied instantly and angrily. “That one attacked me and another diver while we were in the ocean, I released my Gyarados to defend us, but when I checked. That Gyarados has been captured. My pokeball wouldn’t even activate.” I almost yelled, because frankly.

I was so mad.

Really really mad.

Someone had abandoned the Gyarados, and not in the right way.

You can’t just release a pokemon as powerful as a Gyarados into the ecosystem. Worse? You can’t release one without actually releasing it! You are required by law to break a pokeball, if you are releasing a Pokemon. So they can be captured in case of emergency.

Someone had fucked up.

“What?”

“Check for yourself.” I said waving at the unconscious Pokemon. And Jenny did just that.

Her pokeball didn’t activate either and she went from angry at me. To angry at someone else.

Not that I was free to go. I settled in, and Gyarados slumped into the sand beside me happily as I just scratched his scales and whispered how proud of him I was.

—--

An hour later Nurse Joy had arrived to do an emergency capture override of the Gyarados sending it to the Pokemon center.

The fact Officer Jenny was not happy, whoever had captured that Gyarados was in for a rough time when they were tracked down. Until then I was given an unneeded warning about scaring people and then sent on my way.

I met back up with Misty who had been hanging around. Resting against Milotic and not really interfering in the whole investigation.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine!” She snapped, but then her face melted. “I’m okay. Thank you. For saving me.”

“I’m just surprised…”

“I don’t… I don’t like Gyarados. I can handle them if I can run away, but down there, with two of them and they were everywhere, I just panicked.” She muttered rising up she stalked around a bit rubbing her arms. “Don’t tell Ash and Brock.”

I nodded slowly, I did vaguely remember Misty had problems with Gyarados, but also that eventually she would get over it.

I would just have to leave her to it.

“C’mon let’s get that equipment turned in, and get some food in you. Then we can find the boys. Think they are at the Inn yet?”

“It is getting late… But no. Just find wherever the Pokemon battles are. Ash’ll be there.” Misty replied and I laughed, trying to act normal with the older girl. This whole thing had been…

Not as relaxing as I had wanted.