Pokemon Mano

Dango: "Who's he?"

Dango asked, confusion clear on his face, but the grunts, Lia, Kai, Kent, and Reid, stayed silent. Realising he was getting nowhere, Dango shifted his focus to the ship's helmsman lying on the ground, his head still bleeding but slowly stirring awake. Helping the man to sit up, Dango learned the grunts had ambushed him. Seeing them tied up, the helmsman let out a grim smile, quietly saying it was finally payback time. The helmsman slowly got to his feet as Dango helped him up and wrapped a scarf around his head to dress the wound.

With a quiet nod of thanks, the man's expression darkened. He then requested a moment alone with the grunts, flashing a chilling smile that instantly made them uneasy. Dango hesitated but eventually stepped out, closing the door behind him. Inside, the helmsman picked up a loose wooden plank and began walking toward them, causing the grunts to scream. Some time later, Dango returned to the room and paused. The sight before him was brutal. The grunts were bruised, swollen, and clearly defeated.

Helmsman: "So, kid, what exactly is going on here?"

After hearing Dango's explanation about Team Blitz, the helmsman frowned in confusion. He understood the theft of valuables from passengers, but the presence of Pokémon locked away in the basement puzzled him. To be honest, the crew hadn't gone down there in years, so it made some sense. Dango shared his suspicion about the mysterious person Lia had mentioned. The helmsman shot a hard look at the four grunts, stepping closer. Reid quickly shouted that they didn't know anything, while Kent begged not to be hit again. The other two grunted, irritated, telling them to shut up.

Before things could get messy again, a calm voice echoed through the room, calling the helmsman a brute. Assuming it was one of the grunts mouthing off, the helmsman growled and stepped forward, fist clenched, ready to strike. But just as he swung, both he and Dango froze in surprise. The voice wasn't coming from any of the grunts directly. It was coming from a small speaker embedded in the collar of Kai's uniform. The voice greeted them casually, revealing that he had been listening to their entire conversation.

Dango: (Alert) "You must be the one. Who are you? And what's with the Pokémon locked in the basement?"

Voice: "I'll answer only one question. Name's David, an admin for Team Blitz. As for the Pokémon… You'll find out soon enough."

David goes on to reveal he knows Dango isn't acting alone, and his 'little girlfriend' is probably in trouble right now, somewhere in the Main Lobby. Dango's mind races, quickly realising he means Maylin. David sneers, taunting Dango to come to the captain's room, because that's exactly where he is. The helmsman suddenly shouts out, demanding to know if David's killed the Captain. If he has, the helmsman vows he'll make him pay.

David's tone turns cold and serious as he tells the helmsman that yes, he did kill the Captain, and warns that if the man keeps talking, he'll be joining him soon. Enraged, the helmsman shouts he'll kill David, but David chuckles darkly, saying he's only joking, and that their dear Captain is fine. However, if the helmsman dares to try turning the S.S. Anne around, then that joke might carry some truth. The comment calms the helmsman somewhat, though his anger still simmers beneath the surface.

David instructs them not to touch the ship's autopilot, warning that doing so would guarantee the Captain's death. He then shifts his focus to Dango, threatening that if he gets in the way, he'll be killed. Dango, unfazed, frowns in confusion and calls David stupid, warning him not to underestimate him. The line cuts out. Dango wastes no time, ordering Primeape to crush the communication device.

Just as he moves to leave, the helmsman stops him, insisting that no matter how strong he is, there's no way he can handle this alone. He's still just a kid. Dango responds without hesitation, saying he's not alone. He has his team. The man watches him for a moment, then gives a faint smirk, calling him courageous, but still a fool. 

At last, the helmsman shares his name, Roman. He opens a nearby cabinet and pulls out a few Super Potions, handing them to Dango, insisting his Pokémon need to be in top shape if he plans to face what's coming. The two exit the Bridge, sprinting toward the Main Lobby, leaving the battered grunts behind, grateful to be spared.

Dango and Roman pressed forward through the ship, taking down grunts as they moved with determination. Eventually, they came across Maylin. To their relief, she was completely unharmed. After brief greetings, Roman introduced himself and quickly brought her up to speed on the situation. He pointed out that the Captain's Room was located just past the Main Lobby, but getting there wouldn't be easy.

Over thirty grunts stood between them and their target. Roman suggested sneaking through as the smarter option, hoping to avoid unnecessary conflict. But both Dango and Maylin disagreed. They were set on fighting their way to David. Dango explained his reasoning clearly. If they didn't deal with the grunts now, those same enemies could regroup and interfere during the battle with David. Better to face the chaos head-on than risk an ambush later.

Roman nodded, clearly reluctant but understanding their resolve. At the Main Lobby, dozens of Team Blitz grunts and their Pokémon crowded the area. More passengers were being herded in as hostages, confined within massive cages. Nearly everyone on the ship was captured. Almost everyone.

With a powerful Bubble Beam, a small group of grunts was wiped out. Catching their attention, we see our heroes, Dango and Maylin, commanding their starters, while Roman controlled his Poliwhirl, the one responsible for the attack.

Immediately, they launched into battle. Axew struck with Dual Chop and Iron Tail before being switched out for Staravia and Primeape, who came in with swift Aerial Aces and precise Low Kicks. Drillbur landed a solid Metal Claw but was pinned down by a fierce Raticate. Just as Raticate lunged to attack, Roman's Poliwhirl jumped in with Aqua Jet, pushing it off.

Maylin thanked Roman for the assist. As more Pokémon charged toward Drillbur and Poliwhirl, Maylin acted quickly, commanding Drillbur to use Dig to escape. She sent out the rest of her team. Pinsir crashed down to aid Poliwhirl, while Tyrogue unleashed a flurry of Mach Punches. As the battle raged on, they steadily pushed the grunts back, forcing some to flee, while the passengers cheered.

The battle came to an end with a devastating combined strike from the heroes' Pokémon, forcing the last few grunts to retreat or collapse in defeat. With the enemy subdued, Dango, Maylin, and Roman hurried to the cages, working to free the passenger, only to realise the locks required a key.

A man among the captives quickly spoke up, claiming he saw someone in the Captain's room with it. Immediately, they all knew it was David. Bracing themselves for the confrontation ahead, they turned toward the door.

Just then, the door creaked open. Out stepped a man clad in a sleek black and white uniform, marked by the bold red B of Team Blitz. He held a Pokéball loosely at his side, and beside him loomed a Krookodile, its jaws twitching with anticipation. It was him, David, one of the four Team Blitz Admins.

David: "Was that so hard? Huh?"

The atmosphere froze. His voice, casual and mocking, only made the air more suffocating. As he stepped forward, the passengers fell into an eerie silence, and the trio instinctively shifted into battle stances. David scanned the room, eyebrows raised in mild surprise.

David: "Tch… You really cleared out all my grunts? Guess they were even more useless than I thought."

Still, he didn't appear worried. Instead, he smirked and waved a hand dismissively.

David: "Doesn't matter. I already got what I came for. You're not a threat to me."

He began walking, as if they weren't even worth the energy. But as he passed by, none of them could bring themselves to move. Krookodile growled lowly, its body cloaked in a sinister aura that seemed to anchor the trio in place. The sheer pressure it gave off made it hard to breathe.

The presence of Krookodile weighed heavily on everyone. Dango and his Pokémon were visibly shaken by the dark aura it radiated. The oppressive atmosphere pressed down like a thick fog. This wasn't normal, Dango thought. He'd heard of Pokémon with natural abilities, but rarely did trainers manage to truly draw them out.

This Krookodile had Intimidate. Dango clenched his fists. He couldn't just let David walk away. Fighting through the overwhelming pressure, he broke free, with Maylin and Roman following suit. Their Pokémon rallied beside them, ready for the next move. Dango's voice rang out sharply, grabbing David's attention.

Dango: "You're not going anywhere."

David's grin twisted into something wild and dangerous. Krookodile stepped forward, growling low and ready to strike.

David: "I was really hoping you said that."

To Be Continued!