Out on the sea, Ash and Brock, who had surfaced before Xia You, had already found several planks from the ship and pieced them together into a makeshift platform.
When they saw Xia You and the others break the surface, they hurriedly reached out and pulled them from the water.
"We're finally saved!"
James lay on his back on the planks, soaked from head to toe. Looking up at the blue sky and white clouds, he felt as though he had just taken a trip to the gates of the underworld.
Xia You took off his diving goggles, untied the rope to release Meowth, and recalled Magikarp into its Poké Ball.
Beneath the warm sun, the sea around them was calm. Debris from the S.S. Anne floated everywhere, but aside from their own group, there wasn't another soul in sight.
Brock surveyed their surroundings with his narrow eyes, then said in disappointment, "Looks like everyone who escaped in the lifeboats has already left."
"What should we do next, then?" As soon as Ash spoke, he noticed Misty kneeling with her back to everyone, her cheeks flushed red.
"Huh? Misty, what's wrong?"
Misty hurriedly stood up and shook her head.
"Nothing. I just swallowed some seawater earlier, so I'm feeling a little sick."
She tried to force herself to calm down, but her gaze kept drifting between the breathing apparatus in Xia You's hand and the corner of his mouth. For a moment, her face only grew redder.
Walking over to Xia You, she abandoned her usual lively, prickly manner and said softly, "Thank you so much for earlier."
Naturally, Xia You understood what she meant.
But the situation had been urgent. He hadn't had time to think about anything else; saving her had obviously come first.
"Don't worry about it." Xia You cleared his throat, but felt that he was only making things more obvious. Rather than say anything else, he turned to Ash. "Ash, send out your Pidgeotto. Have Pidgeotto look around for any passing ships or islands."
Ash released Pidgeotto and gave the instructions. Pidgeotto circled twice above their heads, seemingly getting a bearing, then flapped away into the distance.
Before long, Pidgeotto returned, apparently having found something, and landed on Ash's shoulder, gesturing repeatedly with both wings.
As a Pokémon who could speak human language, Meowth stepped in as their translator.
"Pidgeotto says there's a port town not far ahead!"
The word "port" lifted everyone's spirits, and they directed their Water-type Pokémon to swim toward the town...
Maiden's Peak was a small port town situated between Vermilion City and Saffron City.
Small though it was, the town was thriving. It had a sizable population, and with its fine natural harbor and position along a major transport route, plenty of ships passed through every day, keeping it bustling.
After paddling into the harbor, Xia You and the others had barely set foot on the fine sand when the Team Rocket Trio instantly regained their spark.
Somehow producing two roses, they stood back to back.
Gently inhaling the fragrance of her rose, Jessie gave a cold snort. "Now that we've made it here, it's time to say goodbye!"
"That's right!" With the other rose held between his teeth, James said with a flourish, "We're grateful you saved us, but don't expect us to go easy on you the next time we meet!"
"That's right, meow~"
With a burst of brazen laughter, they turned and ran toward a huge rock by the sea, disappearing from sight.
"I can't stand them!" Misty sighed. "But I don't have the energy to bother with them right now. Being soaked all over feels awful. I'd give anything for a nice hot bath and a good night's sleep!"
It wasn't just Misty. After everything they had been through, even Xia You was completely exhausted.
"Then let's hurry to the Pokémon Center and get some rest."
Xia You adjusted his backpack and was about to head off when a strange feeling suddenly rose within him. He turned toward a small pier in the distance and saw a woman in a white dress, with long pinkish-purple hair, standing there quietly.
A breeze lifted a lock of her hair, revealing a delicate, beautiful profile.
Yet for some reason, a faint sadness lingered around her.
Beside him, Brock seemed to have spotted the woman too. His eyes turned into hearts, and he couldn't help crying out.
"What a beautiful woman!"
Hearing him, Ash and Misty looked into the distance, but saw nothing.
"What are you looking at?" Misty asked curiously. "There's nothing there!"
Xia You blinked. In that brief instant, the woman had vanished!
They continued along the road, and once they reached the Pokémon Center and checked in, Xia You learned from Nurse Joy exactly where they were.
Maiden's Peak?
The beautiful woman's spirit and Gastly...
Remembering the relevant storyline from the anime, Xia You couldn't help smiling. So they had ended up here without even realizing it.
"Oh, by the way," Nurse Joy said with a smile, "you've come at just the right time. The town is holding its summer festival right now. There's a grand parade, a bonfire party, and lots of food stalls. If you can, be sure not to miss it~"
As a girl, Misty was naturally eager for an event like this, as was the boyish Ash. Unfortunately, they were all at the limits of their endurance. After agreeing on a time to meet, they went to their rooms to rest.
As public facilities offering free food and lodging, Pokémon Centers varied in their accommodations from region to region.
Here in Maiden's Peak, for instance, the town was small, so its Pokémon Center wasn't particularly large either. The boys' dormitory was simply a clean little room furnished with two bunk beds.
To Xia You, however, those spotless white sheets seemed to hold an irresistible magic, making him want to throw himself straight onto the bed.
Even so, he fought off his drowsiness long enough to take a quick shower and toss his clothes into the dryer before collapsing into bed and falling sound asleep.
The sun sank toward the west. He slept until dusk before finally sitting up in bed, still bleary-eyed.
Seeing Ash and Brock still fast asleep, he shook them awake, then went to knock on Misty's door. Once they had gathered, they left the Pokémon Center together.
By then, the entire town had been swept up in the festive atmosphere.
Countless people dressed in their finest followed the floats through the town. Amid the laughter and cheerful chatter, everyone, from local residents to travelers like Xia You, found their spirits lifting.
Before you continue