What had happened to this Empoleon? Who could abuse such a majestic creature? Walter was sick to his core just thinking about it.The pirate always had a soft spot for Pokemon. His ship was equipped with stun cannons to ensure any wild Pokemon or human crew wouldn't be killed by a bombardment.

Yet that was a task for later, one where he would treat Empoleon to a nice dinner and games with the crew. Now, he had to think about the job. Sail in, land, let the grunts off, and keep the Indigo Wind running. It sounded almost simple when Howard said it.

On one hand, if Walter did this job, he would be an active war criminal. He could attempt to hide his identity but even so his ship was specific to him. Marcos was good with machines but not good enough to transform an entire ship.

But if he could pull this off, he'd be the most infamous sailor in all of Hoenn. It was in his grasp, the treasure he sought after all along. Greater than money, adventure, or even the sea basin Pokemon. Walter wanted to be a legend. A sailor both infamous and beloved who lived for generations through tales and shanties. Bottles clink and voices cheer in toast to him, his legend. Some may even fear him, don't dare speak his name in the hopes of not drawing his thunderous crew. It didn't matter how. Walter would become the legend of the seas.

This was his ticket. This was his in. One simple mission. Sail, land, leave.

"Alright, Howard. I'll do it. The Indigo Wind will sail in to Dewford. I'll land on shore with the crew and bombard anyone that gives us trouble with stun shot. Once the grunts are on shore, I'll stay close and continue my bombardment. We aim for the sand. No one gets hurt. Only panicked."

Walter gave Howard a toothy pirate's grin.

"But before we go, I'll need some help repainting the ship and remodeling her. Team Cove and I are still independent contractors after all. My crew and I will need disguises as to avoid conviction. If you can do that for me, then we have a perfect deal."

The captain put out his hand still smiling ear to ear. He was no longer Walter.

This was Captain Storm Grin.

---

howard slayte

"Aye, matey, did you say 'legendary'?" The captain asked with wide eyes.

Were legendary Pokemon not those detailed in ancient stories? Those powerful few, as mighty as the forces of nature. Nay, they were forces of nature. Beings not many in their life would even dream to see. Yet here were two of them on the pirate's ship.

Astounding.

Walter left the wheel with Aipom. He jumped down onto the deck and stared at those wonderous Pokemon. Calyrex and Marshadow. Living treasures. He turned to the ghostly elite.

"You must be one strong trainer to have legendary Pokemon in your midst. I feel lucky to be the boatman you hired for this trip. Not every day you see a legendary. Or even a life time. How did you meet them, if you don't mind me asking?" The captain inquired. He was amazed and baffled at the sight.

Then she mentioned it. That dreaded beast. Kyogre. The captain's body froze with a ghostly chill. Walter's eyes grew dark like storm clouds.

"Aye, I had a run in with Kyogre. That leviathan nearly rammed itself into my ship. I've seen how it reacts to ships. I can't imagine what that beast would do to anything smaller."

Walter barely managed to break out a smile. "Bastard couldn't get us though. Damn thing gave us plenty of wind to escape on."

The captain let out a hearty chuckle once more.

The Sea Basin Pokemon may not have gotten his ship, but he did take something.

The Leviathan took Walter's nerve.

---

Elise Calcifet

"Well now I have to turn around, Hitoshi!" The captain barked.

He should NOT have turned around.

Fields of dark waves crashed and scattered into white wash spurned on by a Pokemon that rivaled vessels. The leviathan's head rose above the waves and released a mighty boom. Its eyes yellow like lightning crackling with malice and rage. The clouds answered their masters call, drenching the ocean in more rainfall, more wind, and more dread.

As the beast charged towards the Indigo Wind, Walter was paralyzed. A concoction of fear mixed with amazement bubbled in his veins. He had never seen any Pokemon like it. Nothing across the seas of Paldea, Galar, or Unova had ever rivaled this beast in size, let alone mastery of the ocean. This was no mere mortal Pokemon.

This was a legend. The Sea Basin Pokemon:

Kyogre

Quickly, he snapped back and barked his orders on the loud speaker. "All crew remain below deck and await my orders! Move towards the bow and stay away from the stern! The Sea Basin Pokemon...is hunting us!"

On one hand, they needed the sails half furled to reduce being swept up by the storm. On the other, the Sea Basin Pokemon was rushing towards them and would easily crash the hull if she isn't sailing at full speed. Walter steered and contemplated his options.

"Hitoshi, matey, be ready to get your "not Pokemon" to cut the lines if this beast gets within 100 feet of this vessel. I'd the beast is currently 220 feet from ramming the Indigo Wind. With the sails free, we're more likely to capsize but we're also more likely to make it to poker."

Walter hid morbid fear behind a wide grin. The captain always had to keep cool and remain in control.

---

Hitoshi Inoue

Walter took took the gift in his hand. A pokeball? The captain pressed the button and released the Pokemon. A massive shining cerulean bird stood almost shoulder height with the seafarer. The Pokemon was adorned with a glittering golden trident atop its head.

It was not a Pokemon Walter had ever seen before.

He examined the bird more closely. Its wings were sharp like steel blades, easily able to slice through flesh and water alike. With webbed feet and short thick feathers, how could this be anything but a swimmer?

Walter turned to his friend.

"You trying to bribe me, Howard?" The captain let out a mighty chuckle and turned back to the Pokemon "What a magnificent catch you are!"

"Howard wants you to accompany me on the raid, doesn't he? To protect me and my crew. Aye, you're a welcome part of my ship."

Walter looked back at his friend with a smile

"What do you call this Pokemon? And what's the plan for Dewford?"

---

howard slayte

Eternatus. A second leviathan in the oceans? The captain had narrowly survived an encounter with the one they called Kyogre. Yet the sea basin Pokemon was on a wild rampage. Walter couldn't fathom what another rampaging leviathan could do. The captain rose out of his chair and paced around the room. Questions blew around his mind in a flurry.

Walter stroked his beard, his eyes grey like storm clouds. What the heck was going on in this region? The waves hid so much from him. He turned back to his friend and finally released a hurricane of questions.

"Now this...thing. Why are we the ones who need to check on it? Is the League not doing anything about it? I am willing to sail over, raid the shores, and do whatever it takes to keep the beast at bay. I just want to know why. Why must Rocket be the ones to do it?"

The more questions he asked, the less it started to make sense. Raiding Dewford? Makes sense. Rocket is a criminal organization that sounds par for the course. Saving the world though? Hard to buy it. Isn't that the League's job?

Why was the League not doing anything about it? What is going on? What happened to that aspiring archaeologist he once knew all those years ago?

---

howard slayte

Those words rang through Walter's head. Raid Dewford? To save the world? A baffling statement produced by one of the most rational speakers in Walter's life.

Raiding Dewford. What did he mean by "raid?" What was Rocket after? What was Howard not telling him. Walter chuckled nervously but managed to give Howard a big sailor smile.

"Aye, matey. How exactly does raiding Dewford save the world? What are we plundering for? If I'm going to sail you, I'll need to know what we're up against and what we're after."

The captain was unsure how many questions he'd have to ask or even if Howard would tell him the truth. Regardless, he needed at least something to go off of in order to plan for the mission ahead. This wasn't going to be some simple smuggling job. This was real.

He looked at Howard with storming eyes. "Howard. You can be honest with me. What do you want from Dewford?"

---

howard slayte

"Aye, ambassador, I've sailed through these waters a few times. No waves are too dangerous for me and my crew." The captain gave a hearty chuckle as he steered the course.

Sootopolis was a dangerous place to bring a League ambassador, especially for a mercenary on both sides. He could maybe get away with having her on board as long as they sailed towards the outskirts of the city. While Walter wasn't exactly loyal to Rocket, he didn't want trouble from them either.

However, a good pirate cannot resist the promise of adventure and treasure. The ghostly princess gave him both. She hired him to sail out here to observe the local ghost type Pokemon. Sailors in Sootopolis told eerie stories about encountering spirits at night. Walter was eager to be one of them.

The hull creaked to the touch of gentle waves. Waves curled round the side of the vessel as it sliced its way through the water. This was the captain's favorite sound: the melody of the tides. Perfect harmony between ship and sea. Walter gave a look towards the two mysterious Pokemon as they contemplated the waves.

He had never seen anything like them before. The captain turned to the ambassador with a puzzled look, stroking his beard while he sailed.

"Say, matey. Your Pokemon look quite...exotic. What kind of Pokemon are they, if you don't mind me asking?"

---

Elise Calcifet

"Aye, matey. She could sail much faster than this. But every sailor, no matter how adventurous, knows when to listen to the sea." The captain gave a nod towards the clouds behind him.

Storm clouds rolled over them in a vicious squall. Drizzle turned to downpour, gusts turned to gales, and waves turned into foes. "Storm's rolling in, lads! Aipom and Gino, port side! Afonso and Marcos, starboard side! Furl the sails half way! Not a single Pokemon is allowed in the air!"

He looked back at the swordsman. "Save me one of those cigarettes. I'll need one after we get through this."

Waves crashed onto the deck, drenching the crew at their stations. Gale winds rattled the hull with a resounding creek. Cold hands cut by wind and dashed with salt tugged hard at the lines. With the sails unfurled, the ship would be blown away by the storm or even capsize.

The hearty sailors pulled tighter and tighter in attempt to reduce the sails. With all their might, they gave one big "Yo ho!" and the sails shrunk.

Yet the sea was not satisfied. More waves towered over the ship, ending with a violent thud onto the deck. Once hearty sailors were now flat on their backs coughing up water. The captain shouted with a stern fear. "Everyone off the main deck!"

He turned to Hitoshi. "If my hands come off the wheel, we're all lost to the sea. We need to get them off the deck and fast. Any ideas, matey?"

---

Hitoshi Inoue

Some things are best left alone. Ignorance is bliss, after all. But the captain was never one to let sleeping maschiffs lay. A mystery was an adventure after all. Besides, the more dangerous the mission the more fun it will be! Not to mention how much it'll pay!

"Howard, matey, you're always looking out for me. But you know who I am. I'm the pirate who sailed from Paldea to Hoenn in search of adventure and plunder. You've given me plunder. I'm ready for a real adventure now.

Walter slammed his fist on the table, his eyes darkened like storm clouds. The rookie captain never felt more anxious in his life. Working with Rocket was always going to lead him down a dark path. No matter what answer Howard could give, this job would cement Walter as a core operative for Rocket.

His mind kept racing like the ocean's currents. But he wouldn't show it. Walter, no, Captain Walter Delmar was the fiercest pirate in the ocean blue. No wind too strong. No storm to great. No Pokemon too monstrous. No treasure too hidden. He was going to be the greatest pirate in the world.

A wide grin dripped onto his face. "I want to know everything. Let's chart our course together, old friend."


He was sailing straight into the eye of the storm. And he relished it.

---

howard slayte

Walter had, in fact, not hit a book for a few weeks. The last book he read was a book about ancient Hoennian sailors Howard had lent to him. He did, however, know what would do damage to a ship. A big hefty Pokemon skull would do the trick.

"Nay, matey. I'm not as studious as you are. I just noticed he had a big dome on his ol' skull." The captain let out a hearty chuckle and took a seat.

This was the best seat he's sit on for weeks.

"Dewford, eh? " The last time he went to Dewford a tracker wound up on his ship. Ship security has been tight ever since. Yet even with new protocols, the captain was wary about visiting that dreaded harbor.

"Aye, matey, you remember the last time I went to Dewford? Cunning folk over there. Security will no doubt be top notch after my last haul."

Walter stroked his beard in contemplation "Why do you need to sail there? What are you and the rest of Rocket plotting?"

Walter met Howard with serious eyes. The once friendly grin on his face had dissolved. This could be big.

---

howard slayte

Walter stared at the behemoth. It was a menacing beast for sure, a creature of legend even. He surveyed the rest of the treasures. The amount of wealth concentrated in that room was well more than Walter could make in his current position.

A better pirate than him would've taken the most expensive looking loot at made a run for the docks. But he's a new captain who still held on to ideas like trust and friendship.

The captain took one more look at the Rampardos skeleton. "I think this would make an excellent ship ram! Yo ho ho ho! Get me a few of these bad boys and no merchant ship would be safe. Ho ho ho!"


Walter was excited to learn what Howard had in store for him. A private meeting with the boss himself? His mind churned with endless possibilities. Maybe it was an even bigger smuggling job. Or maybe he'd finally go on a proper treasure hunt! Afterall, Howard was an archaeologist.

Walter let out a loud chuckle that rolled like thunder. "Anyways, enough of my jokes. You called me here for business. Talk to me, matey, what's this important job you have for me?"

---

howard slayte

A curtain of marigold shown gently above the open blue sea. As the sun continued to descend, more and more crew bustled out onto the deck. Soon, almost the entire ship was together. On deck the crew stood, united as one clan, and stared out at the glowing fireball softly descending into the calm blue blanket.


Captains, medical officers, researchers, deckhands, their ranks did not matter. In that moment, the crew was one. One family gently cradled by the great ocean. The wind blew softly over the ship, greeting the crew with a refreshing breeze.


This was not just the open ocean. This was the Paldean sea. Warm and calm waters that hugged the coast of their homeland. As they sailed onward to Galar, they would face rough chilling waters. The waves they would face would be over 3 meters tall. The once friendly breeze would turn into aggressive horrible squalls. But that was not known yet. For now, they were safe in their maiden waters, enthralled by the setting sun.



Walter looked out at the sunset awestruck. His dark hair and sailor's shirt moved gently in the wind. Wattrel stood on his shoulder and basked in the wind. As the deckhand stared out, a large grin crawled its way onto his face. The young deckhand was reminded this is where he belonged. The sea was his true home.


Walter, turned to the research student next to him. With a chuckle, he said "Beautiful isn't it? No matter how many voyages you go on, you will never get tired of seeing the sunset. Never."

---

Cain Stille

"Aye aye, matey. You can trust ol' Captain Walt. This ship is as secure as an octillery's tentacles round its prey!"
Walter cracked a smile as he took the magikarp. It was time to make amends.

The Captain strode back to his ship and climbed aboard. "Attention, Team Cove! This is your captain speaking. Good news! We are still working for Howard and Team Rocket!" the crew let out a mighty "Yo ho!"

"Marcos, did you finish extracting the tracker?" Walter looked over with a confident look at his top mechanic.

"Aye aye, captain! Here you are!" Marcos handed the tracker to his captain. "Excellent work, Marcos!" The Captain held the tracker in one hand, the magikarp in the other.

"Down the hatch!" Walter thrust the tracker deep into the magikarp's mouth. He gave deckhand Gino a pat on the shoulder, hand still covered in magikarp slime.

"Keep this in a barrel full of water. We're gonna release it when we set sail again."

Gino tried to wipe the slime from his shoulder with little success. He grabbed the poor fish Pokemon and quickly ran off to put it in water.

"Now, everyone. Let's start unloading our goods and chart our course for our next big adventure!"

"Yo ho! Yo ho! Aye aye, Captain!" rang out from the crew.

It was good to be the captain. It was even better to be friends with a Rocket admin.

---

howard slayte