" Mimi, wake up."

I groaned. " Mmmmmmm......"

Someone chuckled. " Your girlfriend sure is a heavy sleeper."

" We're not in a relationship!" Someone hissed.

Someone chuckled. " Riiiiight. I've seen you two since you were little. Trust me, Gary, you like her. I should know. My old travel buddy is my girlfriend."

" Pika piiiiiiii!"

I groaned again. " Pikachu..... not now, please."

" Chuuuuuu!" Pikachu complained.

" Chu!" Pichu added.

I looked at both my Pikachus. Pichu, Pikachu, I wanna slee-he-heap!"

" Chuuuuuuu!" Pichu grumbled, jumping off the bed and going to my bag to take his food out.

I squinted and smiled at Pikachu. " Go with your brother, K?"

Pikachu grumbled but obeyed, and soon both my Pikachus were rolling on the ground.

I sighed, turning my head and getting comfortable when a wet tongue licked me.

" Hmmmm, Growlithe?"

" Heyo!"

I sat up and laughed as my puppy sat in my lap. I stroked him.

" I suppose I owe you, Pikachu, Diglet, Sandslash, Geodude and Raticate for my win, huh?"

" Heyo!"

I looked at my side table, where my new thunder badge laid next to my cascade and boulder badge.

" Well, thank you. Without you six I never woulda been able to achieve this."

Red peeked his head into my room. " Look who's awake. Good morning, little sis."

I grinned. " Morning, Red!"

He walked over and observed my new badge. " That's my sister. Never giving up."

I grinned. " Yeah! But, uh..... just a quick question."

" Hm?"

" When are we arriving in Lavender town?"

Red shrugged. " Dunno. Anyway, Blue and Gary are training. Wanna eat breakfast?"

I shook my head. " nah. I wanna go see the Pokemon on board."

Red crossed his arms, a knowing smirk spreading across his face. "Mimi, you've got that look. You're totally up to something."

I gave him an innocent smile, stroking Growlithe's fur. "Me? Up to no good? Come on, Red, when have I ever—"

"Yesterday," he interrupted, deadpan. "You snuck into the engine room to see if you could 'power up' Pikachu with the ship's generator."

Growlithe barked in agreement, his tail wagging as if recalling the adventure.

I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my neck. "Okay, but that was yesterday. Today's a whole new day!"

Red sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. Just don't get into trouble, alright? If Blue or Gary have to fish you out of something again, they might never let you live it down."

I stuck out my tongue playfully. "Relax, big bro. I'm just going to see some Pokémon. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Famous last words," Red muttered as he turned to leave. "Stay safe, sis."

I hopped off the bed, Growlithe following close behind, his paws clicking softly on the wooden floor. Pichu and Pikachu stopped rolling around and scampered to my side, chattering excitedly.

"Alright, team," I said, looking at my Pokémon with a mischievous grin. "Let's go meet some new friends."

As I stepped out of the cabin, the sunlight spilled onto the deck of the S.S. Anne. Trainers and their Pokémon were scattered about, some battling, others lounging in the sun. The salty breeze carried the cries of Wingulls overhead, and the atmosphere buzzed with energy.

Growlithe barked happily, his nose twitching as he caught the scent of other Pokémon nearby. Pikachu and Pichu scrambled onto my shoulders, their tails sparking faintly with excitement.

"Let's see," I mused, scanning the deck. "Where should we start?"

Before I could decide, a loud voice caught my attention. "Hey, Mimi! Over here!"

I turned to see Blue waving from the edge of the deck, a confident grin on his face. Gary stood beside him, his arms crossed, looking slightly annoyed but still intrigued. Beside them, an Eevee and a Charmander were playfully sparring.

"Oh, this should be fun," I said, grinning as I made my way toward them. Adventure was always just a step away when my friends were involved.

Just as I was about to reach Blue and Gary, a blur of energy tackled me to the ground. "MIMI!" someone squealed.

Before I could process what was happening, I found myself nose-to-nose with none other than Lily, my bestie since we were knee-high to a Jigglypuff. Her wide grin was contagious, and her green eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Lily!" I exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean?!" she asked, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm here to see you, duh! I was not about to let my bestie travel around Kanto without me. Do you know how boring it's been for me these past six days?!"

"I missed you too, bestie boo!" I said, laughing. "But, seriously, you didn't tell me you'd be here!"

"It's called a surprise, Mimi!" she said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "You're the queen of surprises—don't tell me you can't handle being on the receiving end for once."

We both started giggling, and next thing I knew, we were doing all the typical ten-year-old girl things we always did when we were together. We gushed about the badges we'd earned, showed off our latest Pokémon catches (Lily had a Clefairy now—so cute!), and swapped stories about our adventures so far.

"And get this," Lily said, flipping her braid over her shoulder, "Clefairy totally out-sang this Jigglypuff during a contest battle. You should've seen its face, Mimi. Priceless."

"Clefairy, huh? That's amazing!" I said. "But did I tell you about how Pikachu and Pichu worked together to land the winning Thunderbolt on Lt. Surge's Raichu? It was epic!"

"WHAT?!" Lily shrieked, grabbing my arm. "You took down Lt. Surge? You're a legend, Mimi!"

"I mean, it wasn't just me," I said modestly, glancing at my Pikachus, who puffed out their chests proudly. "My team's the real MVP."

We spent what felt like hours catching up, laughing so hard my stomach hurt. It was like no time had passed at all, and having Lily there made everything feel even more exciting.

Finally, Red wandered over, hands in his pockets. "You two done acting like you haven't seen each other in years?" he teased, though his smile showed he was just happy to see me happy.

"Never!" Lily and I shouted in unison, bursting into laughter again.

This journey just got a whole lot better. With Lily by my side, there was no telling what kind of adventures we'd stumble into next.

" Get this- I caught a Clefable!" I exclaimed as I took a large bite of my chocolate cake.

Lily's eyes widened. " Really?!"

I nodded eagerly. " And there's someone I want you to meet. Growlie?" I called.

Growlithe came running. " Heyo!"

Lily blinked. " D.... did he just say ' heyo'?"

I nodded, confused. " Yeah, so?"

Lily grabbed my arm. " Mia! Don't you get it? Growlithe is special! No other Growlithe can do that! You didn't know?"

I shook my head. " I love all my Pokemon equally."

" Heyo!"

Lily leaned in to whisper. " I have to show you something, but don't tell them, okay?" She gestured to the boys, who were talking, and I nodded.

" This way!" She dragged me up the tall, brown stairs. " Last case!"

" Heyo!"

" Pika pi!" Pikachu exclaimed from my shoulder."

" Chu?" Pichu asked from my other shoulder.

" Isn't this the way to the captain's-"

She pushed the door open and pulled me inside.

I gasped.

The captain had fainted.

" I found the poor fellow fainted. We have to do something!"

" Heyo!" Growlithe agreed.

I nodded. " Okay. Lily, lock the doors and sit the Captain over there. I'm gonna steer."

" But you don't know how to steer." Lily said, concerned.

" Eh. How hard can it be." I shrugged.

Suddenly, the boat shook, and we all fell to the ground. Lily crawled to the window and gasped.

" The roaring 40's!" She shreiked.

I grabbed the wheel. " Okay, let's do this!"

I picked the intercom and cleared my throat. " Hello." I said into it in a deep voice that even I couldn't recognize. " Uh, it seems there's an unnatural event occurring, probably because of the Magicarp evolving earlier than usual. Not to worry, though. I shall steer us out safely."

I put the intercom down and gripped the wheel. " Here we go."

The moment I gripped the wheel, chaos ensued. I turned it sharply to avoid a massive wave, and the entire ship tilted precariously to the side. Everyone screamed, including Growlithe, who added his trademark "Heyo!" to the mix.

"Okay, maybe this is harder than I thought!" I shouted as the ship violently swayed the other way, sending Lily sprawling across the floor.

"Harder than you thought?!" Lily yelled back, clinging to a nearby chair. "You're steering like a drunk Gyarados!"

Pikachu and Pichu clung tightly to my shoulders, their little cries of "Pika pii!" and "Chuuu!" adding to the noise. Growlithe barked frantically, his paws sliding on the slick floor as the ship continued to lurch.

Then it happened. With one particularly sharp turn, the wheel made a loud CRACK and came clean off in my hands.

"Oh no," I whispered, staring at the broken wheel. "That's... not good."

"NOT GOOD?!" Lily screamed, clutching a railing. "WE'RE DOOMED!"

The ship groaned ominously as another wave slammed into it, flipping us completely upside down. I found myself hanging onto the steering wheel—now useless—as the world turned topsy-turvy.

"I feel bad for everyone else on board!" Lily wailed, dangling by one arm from the now-upside-down railing.

"FEEL BAD FOR ME!" I hollered, still clinging to the detached wheel. "I'M THE ONE STEERING THIS THING!"

"Technically, you're not steering anymore!" Lily shot back, her voice nearly drowned out by the roar of the storm outside.

The ship continued to pitch and roll, sending furniture, Pokémon, and people flying every which way. I swung myself down from the wheel, landing awkwardly on what used to be the ceiling.

"Okay, okay, new plan!" I shouted, trying to stay upright. "Lily, find something heavy to stabilize the ship! Pikachu, Pichu, use Thunderbolt on the starboard side to counterbalance us! Growlithe, uh... keep saying 'Heyo!' for moral support!"

"Heyo!" Growlithe barked dutifully, skidding across the ceiling and bumping into a table.

Pikachu and Pichu launched their Thunderbolts, lighting up the stormy skies outside. It worked—for about three seconds—before another wave hit, flipping us upright again. We all collapsed in a heap, groaning.

Lily, face-down on the floor, muttered, "I don't think I've ever regretted anything more than coming on this boat."

I groaned, sitting up and rubbing my head. "You and me both."

The storm showed no signs of letting up, and the wheel was still broken. But hey, at least the captain was still unconscious and not yelling at me for breaking his ship. Small victories, right?

I staggered back to the intercom, still panting from the chaos. With my best deep voice—which was honestly just me trying not to sound like I was panicking—I spoke into it.

"Uh... Attention passengers," I said, gripping the microphone like it was my lifeline. "We're... totally fine. No need to worry. Just... uh... enjoy the ride and maybe hold onto something sturdy."

Lily shot me a glare from where she was sitting cross-legged, attempting to untangle herself from a rope. "You really think they're buying that?"

"Hey, fake it till you make it," I muttered, tossing the microphone aside and grabbing the closest thing that could act as a makeshift steering wheel—a tire someone had left as cargo. "Desperate times call for desperate measures!"

I jammed the tire onto the wheel mount, and it wobbled precariously but stayed in place. "Good enough," I declared, gripping it tightly. "Let's get us out of this storm!"

Just as I spoke, another massive wave slammed into the ship, and we plunged under the water. Everything outside the windows turned into an eerie, murky blue. Lily screamed. Growlithe barked. Pikachu and Pichu clung to me, electricity crackling around them nervously.

"We're sinking!" Lily yelled, pointing dramatically at the window.

"No, we're... navigating creatively!" I shouted back, turning the tire-wheel wildly to dodge a cluster of jagged rocks that had appeared in the murk.

"'Navigating creatively' is just a fancy way to say we're doomed!" she snapped.

"Not helping!" I gritted my teeth, pulling the tire hard to the right. The ship groaned and shuddered as it narrowly avoided scraping against the seabed. "Okay, note to self: steering underwater is way harder than it looks."

"Heyo!" Growlithe barked, bouncing up and down on the now-slanted floor as if cheering me on.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, buddy," I muttered, sweat dripping down my face.

The ship shook again, and water started leaking through one of the windows. Lily screamed again, scrambling to plug it with whatever she could find—a jacket, a random Poké Ball, even a plush Psyduck. "I swear, Mia, if we survive this, I'm never letting you steer anything again!"

I grinned despite the chaos. "Come on, Lil, where's your sense of adventure?"

She glared at me, her face dripping wet from a stray splash. "My sense of adventure is currently drowning!"

The ship groaned ominously again, but this time it began to rise, breaking through the surface with a tremendous splash. The bright sunlight hit us, and I let out a victorious whoop.

"See? Totally fine!" I grabbed the intercom again and tried to sound nonchalant. "Uh, as I said earlier, no worries! Smooth sailing from here on out."

The ship leaned slightly to the left as if protesting my statement, but hey, I'd take it.

Just as I put the intercom down, I noticed something strange: the ship was... climbing. Not just rising but climbing a giant wave, like a rollercoaster that had missed the memo about needing tracks.

"We're going up," Lily muttered, her eyes wide as she clutched Growlithe like a lifeline. "Why are we going up?!"

I had no answer. The wave carried us higher and higher until the entire ship tilted at an absurd angle. My Pikachu and Pichu tumbled onto my head, clinging tightly to my hair.

And then we hit the peak.

For a moment, everything froze. The ship hovered at the crest of the wave, suspended in midair like the universe had pressed pause.

And then we flew.

I mean, really flew. The ship launched off the wave and soared into the sky like we were auditioning for some kind of airborne Pokémon race. Lily screamed the entire time. Pikachu and Pichu cheered. Growlithe barked in sheer joy. And me? I laughed hysterically because, at this point, what else could I do?

"We're flying!" I yelled, gripping the tire-wheel as if it could save me.

"Ships don't fly!" Lily screamed back, clutching a railing so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"Well, apparently this one does!" I grinned, the wind whipping through my hair. "Look, no hands!" I let go of the tire for a second just to prove a point, which earned me a furious glare from Lily.

And then we started falling.

We plummeted back toward the ocean, and for a terrifying second, I thought we were done for. But just before we hit the water, the ship's systems sprang to life—though, uh, not in the way I'd hoped.

The control panel lit up like a nightclub, complete with disco lights and thumping music. A glittering disco ball descended from the ceiling, spinning lazily. Then the music changed to a lullaby, and the entire cabin dimmed, as if encouraging us to take a nap.

"What the actual—?!" Lily stammered, staring at the flashing controls.

"Malfunctioning," I groaned, smacking the panel in frustration. "Malfunctioning a lot."

The ship bounced on the waves like a rubber duck in a bathtub, and the music shifted again—this time to circus music. A foghorn blared randomly. Somewhere, confetti burst out of a vent, showering us in shiny paper.

"Are you kidding me?!" Lily yelled, throwing her hands up. "This isn't a ship; it's a prank factory!"

"Relax!" I said, gripping the tire-wheel again and trying to steer us through the chaos. "We've got this!"

"You've got this?!" Lily shot back. "Mia, the controls are playing lullabies! What part of this says 'under control' to you?!"

"Hey, at least we're still afloat!" I argued, narrowly dodging a rogue buoy that popped up out of nowhere. "That's gotta count for something!"

Growlithe barked excitedly, clearly having the time of his life. Pikachu and Pichu seemed equally thrilled, bouncing on my shoulders and cheering.

And me? Well, I just kept laughing because, honestly, what else could I do?

Just as I was trying to steer us out of a particularly nasty spin—because, yes, the ship was spinning now—my Pokégear started ringing.

"Now? Really?" I muttered, wedging it between my shoulder and ear while holding the tire-wheel. "Uh, hello?"

"Mia," Red's voice came through, calm but carrying that big brother tone. "Step away from the wheel. Now."

I glanced at the malfunctioning panel, which was currently blasting a waltz while the disco ball started to spark. "Uh... define 'step away,' because it's kinda late for that, big one."

"Mia." His voice dropped an octave, and I could hear the faint sounds of chaos in the background—probably Gary and Blue shouting about something. "What do you mean, 'too late'?"

"Well..." I winced as the ship hit a rogue wave, launching us sideways. Pikachu squealed in delight, and Pichu giggled. "I mean, the wheel kinda broke... so I'm improvising. With a tire. And also, I think we're about to go under another wave."

"WHAT?!" Red practically roared, his voice louder than the waltz music.

"Don't worry!" I said quickly, steering us back on course—or at least, I hoped it was on course. "I totally have this under control. Uh, mostly."

Lily, who was clinging to a pole for dear life, shot me a murderous glare. "Under control?! Mia, the ship is spinning and sinking!"

"Details!" I waved her off, grinning nervously. "We're fine, right, Growlie?"

"Heyo!" Growlithe barked enthusiastically, his tail wagging.

Red groaned through the Pokégear. "Mia, please. Just stop. I'll be there in—wait, what's that sound?"

"Uh... the music?" I offered innocently as the waltz transitioned into heavy metal.

"No, the other sound," Red said suspiciously.

I glanced up, noticing the faint whistling noise. My stomach dropped. "Oh. Uh, that's probably the... giant wave."

"GIANT WAVE?!"

Before I could respond, the ship crested yet another massive wave, sending us flying again.

"Too late, big one!" I yelled into the Pokégear as we soared through the air. "Wish us luck!"

As the ship rocketed through the air, I heard a chorus of screaming from the boys down below. Red, Blue, and Gary's shouts were a tangled mess over the pokegear system.

"MIA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Red's voice boomed.

"WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN A PINBALL MACHINE?!" That was Blue, and honestly, valid point.

"I KNEW LETTING HER NEAR THE WHEEL WAS A BAD IDEA!" Gary added for good measure.

Meanwhile, Lily was clutching a railing beside me, screaming at the top of her lungs, "MIA, WE'RE GONNA DIE!"

"Relax!" I yelled back, holding onto the tire-turned-steering-wheel as tightly as I could. "It's fiiiiiine! I've got everything under control!"

Spoiler alert: I did not have everything under control.

The broken steering wheel—er, tire—spun uselessly in my hands. Sparks flew from the control panel as the ship's malfunctioning systems activated again. This time, the jet boosters kicked in, sending us shooting forward at what felt like light speed.

"Uh-oh..." I muttered, glancing at the panel, which now displayed a bright, blinking warning: VELOCITY EXCEEDED: 7594654298524 MPH.

The ship lurched forward so violently that I nearly flew out of my seat. Pikachu and Pichu, holding on to my shoulders, squealed in delight, as if this were the best amusement park ride ever.

"Why do we even HAVE jet boosters?!" Lily screeched, her hair now resembling a wild Abra's.

"No clue!" I shouted back, grinning despite myself. "But isn't this awesome?"

"AWESOME?! WE'RE GONNA CRASH!" Lily wailed.

The ship vibrated so intensely that the disco ball popped off the ceiling, bouncing around the room like a hyperactive Voltorb. The music system, now on shuffle, switched to a lullaby, which was not helping the situation.

Red's voice came through the gear, frantic. "MIA, TURN OFF THE BOOSTERS!"

"I WOULD IF I KNEW HOW!" I yelled back. "But the wheel broke. Again."

"YOU BROKE THE WHEEL? AGAIN?!"

"Yup!" I chirped, gripping the tire with one hand and slapping random buttons with the other. "Don't worry, I'll figure it out!"

The ship took another wild leap, soaring over a towering wave before crashing back down. Water sprayed everywhere, and the controls sparked even more furiously.

Gary's voice came through the intercom, panicked. "SHE'S GONNA KILL US!"

I rolled my eyes. "Have a little faith, guys! I haven't killed anyone yet!" Then, under my breath, I added, "...that I know of."

Meanwhile, Lily groaned. "I feel bad for everyone on this ship..."

I shot her a glare, clinging to the wheel as the ship tilted upside down again. "FEEL BAD ABOUT ME! I'M THE ONE DRIVING!"

As the ship finally leveled out after yet another stomach-dropping dive, I collapsed onto the control panel, panting. "Okay," I wheezed, "that was...something."

Lily, still clinging to the railing like her life depended on it, suddenly straightened up and cracked her knuckles. "Alright, Mia. My turn."

I blinked at her. "Wait, what?"

Before I could protest, she grabbed the tire-steering-wheel out of my hands and shoved me aside. "Scoot over! You've had your fun. Now it's my time to shine!"

"LILY, NO—" I started, but it was too late.

She took the tire in both hands and slammed her foot down on something. I'm not even sure what it was, but whatever she pressed caused the boosters to roar back to life.

The ship jolted forward, harder and faster than before.

Red's voice immediately screamed through the intercom. "WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW?!"

"She took over!" I yelled back. "LILY'S DRIVING!"

"OH, ARCEUS, HELP US!" Blue howled.

Lily cackled maniacally, spinning the tire in circles. "WOO! THIS IS AMAZING!" She slammed her other hand onto the control panel, which now looked like it had gone through a battle with a Machamp. Sparks flew everywhere, and the lights flickered ominously.

The ship shot upwards at a ridiculous angle, almost vertical. Lily leaned into the wheel—er, tire—like she was on a roller coaster. "LOOK AT THIS SPEED! I'M A NATURAL!"

"You're a natural disaster!" I screamed, clinging to the nearest railing for dear life.

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Gary bellowed.

"STOP TOUCHING THE BUTTONS!" Red yelled through the intercom. "LILY, YOU'RE MAKING IT WORSE!"

Lily grinned, completely ignoring him. "Nah, I got this! Watch this cool trick!"

"DON'T DO A TRICK!" I shrieked.

Too late.

She yanked the tire hard to the left, and the ship spun in a full 360-degree barrel roll. Pikachu and Pichu, still perched on my shoulders, screamed with delight. The rest of us? Not so much.

"THIS IS WORSE THAN MIA!" Blue hollered.

"THANK YOU!" I yelled back.

The ship started to spiral downwards, Lily laughing like a maniac the whole way. "WHEEEEEEEE!"

"I AM GOING TO THROW UP!" Gary wailed.

The intercom crackled, Red's voice barely audible over the chaos. "LILY, FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING, STOP!"

Lily finally yanked the tire back, pulling the ship into a semi-steady glide. She turned to me with a smug grin. "See? Told you I could do it."

The ship immediately tilted again, narrowly missing a giant wave. I glared at her. "You're worse than me!"

"Am not!" she shot back, gripping the wheel again as the ship veered dangerously close to a rock formation.

"ARE TOO!" I screamed, grabbing the tire to try and wrestle control back.

"LET GO!" she yelled, yanking it in the opposite direction.

"NO, YOU LET GO!"

As we fought over the tire, the ship spun wildly, throwing us both off balance. Meanwhile, the intercom crackled with the boys' collective screaming.

"I HATE THIS!" Gary yelled.

"I HATE YOU BOTH!" Blue added.

"CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE JUST STOP THE SHIP?!" Red bellowed.

Lily and I froze, the tire dangling between us. We exchanged a sheepish look before yelling in unison: "NOT IT!"

Before Lily and I could argue further about whose fault the chaos was, Pikachu and Pichu exchanged a look.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu barked, hopping onto the control panel.

"Pikaaaaaa!" Pichu added with determination, jumping up next to his older sibling.

I blinked. "Wait, what are you—"

Before I could stop them, Pikachu grabbed the tire-steering wheel in his tiny paws, while Pichu started mashing buttons like it was a Pokémon Stadium mini-game.

"GUYS, NO!" I shouted, lunging forward.

But it was too late.

With a sudden roar, the boosters kicked into overdrive again, and the ship rocketed forward at unimaginable speed. The world around us became a blur as Pikachu and Pichu expertly—if chaotically—navigated through what seemed like a gauntlet of obstacles.

We plunged into a series of caves, the ship scraping dangerously close to jagged stalactites and stalagmites. Pikachu spun the wheel sharply, narrowly avoiding a collapse. Pichu, meanwhile, pressed a big, shiny, definitely-should-not-have-been-pressed button, and the ship glowed bright yellow, blasting through the rocks like a bolt of lightning.

"THIS IS CRAZY!" Lily screamed, but she was laughing.

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE, AND I'M WEIRDLY OKAY WITH IT!" I yelled back, grinning as adrenaline coursed through me.

After what felt like an eternity of dodging boulders and weaving through caverns, the ship shot out of the final cave and soared straight up—into space.

"WAIT, WHAT?!" Gary's voice screeched over the intercom. "HOW ARE WE IN SPACE?!"

I glanced at Lily, who shrugged. "Space is cool."

Pikachu and Pichu cheered as the ship floated weightlessly for a few moments. The Earth below us sparkled like a giant Poké Ball, and I couldn't help but gasp. "Okay, this is actually amazing."

The peaceful moment didn't last long.

Pikachu smacked the tire hard, and the boosters fired up again. We soared through a meteor shower, narrowly avoiding being pulverized, and re-entered the atmosphere with flames licking the edges of the ship.

"BACK TO CHAOS!" Lily whooped, throwing her hands in the air.

We crashed through the clouds, dipped into a volcano (don't ask how we survived that), and skimmed the ocean before finally stabilizing somewhere near a waterfall.

I turned to Lily, who was grinning from ear to ear. "Okay, I'll admit it. This is fun."

"Told you!" she said, punching my arm playfully.

Meanwhile, Pikachu and Pichu high-fived each other on the control panel, looking extremely proud of themselves.

"Pika pika!"

"Piiiiiiiiiiiii!"

Red's voice crackled over the intercom. "...Are we alive? Is this real? Did we just survive that?"

Blue chimed in, sounding absolutely drained. "I'm too tired to even yell at you two."

Gary groaned. "I need a nap. Forever."

Lily and I exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter. "BEST DAY EVER!" we shouted in unison.

Pikachu and Pichu cheered in agreement, and the ship hummed quietly as it floated peacefully at last.

The captain groaned, and his head slowly lifted. Lily and I froze, mid-laugh, staring at each other like two Meowths caught with their paws in the cookie jar.

The captain blinked groggily, taking in the absolute chaos around him—broken controls, scorch marks on the walls, a tire attached to what used to be the steering wheel, and Pikachu and Pichu perched triumphantly on the control panel.

"What in the name of Lugia..." he muttered, rubbing his temples.

Lily grabbed my arm and whispered urgently, "Let's go. Now."

"But—" I started, pointing at the mess.

"Now!" she hissed, tugging me toward the door.

I barely had time to grab Pikachu and Pichu before Lily threw the door open, and we bolted down the hallway. Growlithe barked excitedly, running alongside us.

Behind us, we could hear the captain shouting. "Wait a minute! Who—HEY! Get back here!"

Lily yanked me into the stairwell, and we clattered down the steps as fast as our legs could carry us. "This is officially the best day of my life," she wheezed between giggles.

I couldn't stop laughing either. "You're insane!"

"Says the girl who broke the wheel—TWICE!" she shot back.

We burst into the main hall, trying to act as casual as two girls who had just piloted a ship into space and through a volcano possibly could. Red, Blue, and Gary were waiting, their arms crossed and very unimpressed expressions on their faces.

" What happened?" Red asked.

Lily opened her mouth, but before she could come up with a brilliant excuse, the intercom crackled to life, and the captain's voice boomed through the ship.

"ATTENTION ALL PASSENGERS: IF YOU SEE TWO GIRLS WITH A GROWLITHE AND TWO ELECTRIC RODENTS, REPORT THEM IMMEDIATELY!"

Gary facepalmed. Blue sighed deeply. Red just gave me his classic "I'm so disappointed, but I expected this" look.

Lily grabbed my hand again. "RUN!"

And we were off, weaving through passengers and Pokémon, laughing like maniacs as the chaos we left behind caught up to us.