"Where's Pikachu? Where did Pikachu go? He was just gnawing on a drumstick!" May pointed at the empty plate, stamping her feet in panic.
Lin Hao didn't even look up. He kept peeling the plump Argentine Red Shrimp in his hand and rolled the meat in the sauce. "Probably went to the bathroom. Don't worry about him."
"Does Pikachu even need to use the bathroom?" May snatched the plate from his hand. "Team Rocket captured him! Do you even have eyes?"
"So they captured him. Big deal." Lin Hao popped the peeled shrimp into his mouth and mumbled, "If Team Rocket feeds him, he'll eat them into bankruptcy."
"Lin Hao, that's your Pokémon!" May hid the plate behind her back. "How can you still think about eating?"
"Hey, my shrimp! Give that back."
Down in the cruise ship's lowest cargo hold, Jessie and James were pushing a Cage Cart while Meowth scouted ahead.
The cage was packed with Poké Balls they had snatched from the restaurant during the chaos, along with several Pokémon caught in an electrified net.
Pikachu sat beside the bars at the very back, hugging a bag of Tomato-Flavored Potato Chips he had swiped along the way. He picked up a chip with his little paw, stuffed it into his mouth, and crunched away.
Hearing the noise, Meowth turned toward a corner of the cage. The paw he had been using to wipe away sweat suddenly froze.
"M-meow." Meowth pointed at the cage, his paw shaking violently.
"What's gotten into you now?" Jessie smacked Meowth on the forehead and followed his gaze.
"Jessie, James, throw him out! Hurry!" Meowth rolled around on the floor in panic, tears streaming down his face.
"Throw who out?" James leaned toward the cage, craning his neck to look inside.
"That Pikachu! He's that monster's Pikachu! He's eating our chips!" Meowth clung to James's leg and sobbed his heart out.
When Jessie and James recognized that chubby face and the half-asleep look of a glutton, their legs gave out at the same time.
"What the hell? How did this mouse get into the cage?" James slumped onto the floor, fumbling for the keys at his waist.
"Who knows? It was too dark when we were grabbing Pokémon. He crawled in on his own looking for food." Meowth huddled in a corner, not even daring to lift his head.
"Hurry up and open the cage! Get this esteemed guest out of here!" Sweat poured down James's face as the key kept slipping in the lock.
The iron door deep inside the cargo hold swung open, and several burly men in black uniforms walked out, each with a red letter printed on his chest.
"What are you three dawdling for?" The captain in the lead frowned, holding a stun baton.
"The boss specifically requested this shipment. Get it loaded. The submarine will be here any minute."
"Captain, we can't take this Pikachu! He's bad news!" Jessie hurried over, trying to stop him.
"Bullshit! What could be so bad about an ordinary Pikachu?" The captain shoved Jessie aside and strode up to the cage. "You three useless idiots are scared of a mouse? Get moving!"
"But, Captain..." James tried to explain, only to be silenced by a vicious glare.
"No buts! Do you want to be thrown into the sea as Sharpedo feed?"
Jessie and James exchanged a glance and swallowed their words.
Off to the side, Meowth was already scratching at the floor with his claws, pretending to write his will. "We're doomed. That monster is definitely coming for us."
Back in the restaurant, May hauled Lin Hao off the sofa. "Go find him! If we wait any longer, Pikachu will be sold at the Black Market!"
May dragged him toward the exit by his arm. Lin Hao brushed the bits of shrimp shell off his hands. "Fine. I'll bring him back just to shut you up."
He called up the system in his mind and directly contacted the one who had been on standby all along. "Mewtwo, locate that gluttonous mouse."
"Master, he's in Cargo Hold Three on the cruise ship's lowest level. He also just finished a bag of chips and is now opening some Seaweed Crackers," came Mewtwo's voice.
Did this guy go there to get kidnapped or take a vacation? He slipped his hands into his pockets and headed toward the elevator.
May jogged after him, fretting nonstop. "Hurry up! Team Rocket is bound to have heavy weapons."
"So what if they do? Stop making such a fuss."
They took the elevator down to the cargo passage on the lowest level. The moment the doors opened, they ran into four grunts patrolling with stun guns.
"Stop! This is a private area. No entry!" The four grunts quickly surrounded them, their expressions hostile.
Lin Hao stopped, eyed the heavy iron door behind them, and yawned. "Delivery."
"A delivery to the cargo hold? Do you take us for idiots?" The lead grunt sneered and immediately threw out a Poké Ball.
"Go, Arbok!"
"Raticate, use Crunch on him!"
"Weezing, use Poison Gas!"
Four Pokémon lined up in the narrow passage, cutting off every escape route.
May reached back for the Poké Ball at her waist and stepped in front of Lin Hao. "Lin Hao, stay back! I'll handle them!"
Lin Hao caught May's wrist and pulled her back a little. "Don't bother. The passage is too narrow. Your Pokémon won't have room to move."
"Then what do we do? We're surrounded!" May stamped her feet.
"Move aside. I don't want your clothes getting dirty." Lin Hao took a red-and-white Poké Ball out of his pocket.
Seeing his lazy demeanor, the four grunts burst out laughing.
"Ha! Kid, don't tell me you're planning to take on all four of us with one Pokémon!"
"In a place like this, even sending out a pseudo-legendary would be suicide!"
Lin Hao ignored their mockery. He simply looked at the Poké Ball in his hand and muttered to himself.
"I really just wanted to enjoy a buffet in peace. Why does someone always have to make me get to work?"
He curled his lip. "Since you're so determined to interrupt my meal, don't blame me for getting nasty."
"W-who's out there?" Jessie heard the voices from behind the door and shouted at the top of her lungs.
Before you continue