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Pokémon Story

Brotherhood of the Bracken Sea - Part 3

By J.C. Solis

The nerves and angst could be seen amongst the crusty eyes of the sailors as they walked along the piers of Serenity Cove. The woe that befell many a crew and their ship was evident from the horror tales that sailors and captains recount in the nearby pubs and on the dock yards. The shipping industry as a whole seemed to be collapsing, with everyone seemingly unable to do a damnable thing about it. And as time would go on by, the direness of the situation would only further mount as the pain and suffering of those who survived the trip out to sea was evident in the hysteria of those who managed to make it back to shore. And though dead men themselves told no tales the living gave vivid accounts of their dead fellow sailors' final moments out in the ocean.

The Bracken Sea Monster was the obvious culprit. No other creature managed to strike such fear into the hearts of hardened sailors and navy personnel like what was seen on the pier. The creature seemed to be searching for a new hunting ground, no longer limiting itself to the confines of the Bracken Sea. Now the monster was on the prowl far from its home within the Bracken, and woe to the ship that managed to get latched on by the tentacles of the beast.

Ever since the first ever recorded attack - the one that sank the SS Farstrider back in the days of Captain Maxwell - there has been an increase in attacks. Sailor were now afraid to go anywhere near the Bracken Sea, lest they give the beast a reason for it to attack the sailors and their ship. And with commercial shipping and fishing now coming to a halt, the coin purses of everyone who made a living out on the ocean was starting to feel the effect. Soon there would be no safe place out in the sea. Perhaps the creature would even set it's sight on Serenity Cove itself - a catastrophic event if such a thing were to ever occur. Nobody would be safe if that were to happen.

Co-captains Jimmy and Jakey were sitting next to a round table among their fellow captains in a pub by the name of "The Crusty Krabby," and every one of them had looks as weary as someone who had bouts of sleeplessness and paranoia. The men all around all had horror stories to tell of what other captains went through and even what they themselves experienced. They, of course, were the lucky ones to have experienced an encounter while no having been caught by the beast. But with the grim news that everyone was sharing, there was no solace to be found on the horizon.

"Damn the monster!" shouted a large Grapploct as he slammed his fist on the table. "Damn it with Giratina to hell! How in the blooming err' we supposed to sail with that bloody thing choking up the water with err' tentacles like that, eh?"

"Beats me, Jean," said a Golduck as it shook his head. "I've got a good mind to fire all my cannons on my ship at that stupid thing and be done with it."

"You be making it angrier and saltier than sea brine, Bart," said a wary male Jellicent with an eyepatch over its right eye. "Thar be no way ter' harm the beastie without bringin' a wrath that'll make a Gyarados flee en' fear. Twould be the last thing ye do before that ting' tears yer ship, timber by timber."

The brothers looked at each other before addressing the men. They were all taking bites out of their food while swinging their chalices full of drink, wondering what on earth they all could do to stop the beast. The shipping industry was going down the drain.

"True, true, Henry," said Jimmy, acknowledging the Jellicent's concern. "From what I hear guns don't much of a dent in the thing. It'd be hard to best a creature that can take a full cannon blast and keep at it. There's just gotta be a way to best it."

"I bet Dad would've found a way," said Jakey rather morosely. "I bet he would've been able to find its weakness and put a stop to it, but..."

The other captains bent down their heads, seeing how the younger skipper was lamenting his father's memory. After all, it was the Bracken Sea Monster that took the captain's life all those years ago, and only through the captain's sacrifice did he manage to save his remaining crew. Jake still felt the pain of loss from that day, and he hated hearing of how so many captains and sailors had gone through similar fates. No sailor out there wanted to be unable to see their families again. The pain of a little child no longer seeing their father was a fate that Jake hated to see passed on.

"Yer Father was a clever man, he was," said Henry.

"That he was, you blokes," said Jean. "I bet ol' Maxwell would've given that thing a one-two and then-some and send it packing to whatever hellhole it came from."

One of the brothers had to digress, however.

"But Dad isn't with us anymore," said Jim, seeming to cut into the positivity of the group. "We have to find a way to solve this ourselves. And hopefully it will be soon. The beast is cutting into the profits of captains and sailors and businesses and everyone's wallets. The whole industry is gonna collapse soon if nothing's done."

"For now," began Jake, "we just have to wait until the warships arrive. I heard that the Daegar government is gonna send a few warships to fight the thing. I don't know how strong the beast it, but I doubt it can withstand a 150 mm cannon blast from the guns of a battleship."

The men all cheered for such an event to happen. They were all hoping that the Daegar Navy would swoop in and bring that monster's reign of terror to an end. Too many lives were lost to that blighted creature, and the livelihoods of everyone who made a living from the ocean was at risk. There was the constant fear that the beast would swoop in and make attack any sailors out to sea, perhaps making a meal out of them or simply enjoying the bloodshed that it created. The captains at the table could only postulate what to do next. They'd need to head out to sea eventually.

Jakey and Jimmy especially had to head out for work. They were heading to a port up north that bordered that coasts of the Kar Desert, bringing spices from the farms in the south up to the north. And on the return the brothers would be bringing a haul of ore and minerals from the Iron Breaker Valley up north. The smelters and metalsmiths down in the southern regions needed a new shipment of metal, and the scarcity created by the current crisis has greatly elevated prices on pretty much all trade.

For now, all the brothers could do was chat up a storm while their fellow captains recounted tales while they ate and drank. Many topics were on the docket, from family gatherings, marriages, child births death and their following funeral, to even graduations from school. There was nothing too small that the sailors talked about, and all in good company. Seeing how the captains were often away from home and family for extended periods of time, it was only natural that a feeling of yearning followed. Many things could happen in the weeks or months that passed while on a voyage. Though steam and diesel-powered ships these days were much faster than old fashioned sailing ships, there was still plenty of time in waiting to arrive on either side of the journey.

Jakey wondered about someone who was very dear to him. It was a woman whom he had grown fond of, and someone whom he knew had been wracking her brains out with each trip he took out to sea with the present danger. That woman was not his mother - she wasn't even family. But rather it was a lass who had drawn close to him while she worked in the docks as a Logistical Planner and Organizer. She handled the merchandise that came and left port, logging everything down for the port authorities to log. He hoped that she was doing well right now. She said that she'd come over to the Crusty Krabby once her shift ended, but perhaps she was held up at work.

A slender Floatzel walked into the pub, a pink flower pinned to the side of her head while she wore a pink blouse. She seemed to be looking for someone. When she turned to face the Captains' table, she immediately waved for Jakey to get his attention.

Noting her as just the woman he wanted to see, Jakey got up from his seat and headed on over.

"Finally got off of work, Kera?" asked Jakey as he came up to her.

"Yep. Things might be slow in the docks, but the bosses always come with more work for me to do." Kera then breathed as she sighed from her stress. "But other than that, things are going well. I hear you're planning to head out to sea again. Is this true?"

Jakey nodded his head, much to her dismay.

"It's getting pretty dangerous out there. If you're not careful, I'm going to end up without a boyfriend." Knowing the situation well, it was no surprise that the Floatzel lass wanted her partner to err on the side of caution.

"Well, Big Bro and I aren't going to let some big bad monster get in our way. We're sailors, Arceus damn-it, and we belong on the water. We owe it to our Dad to live up to his legacy."

"Just don't live up to it down to the letter, Jake. I'd hate for you to meet a similar fate as your old man," cautioned Kera yet again. "Anyways, did you already get a bite to eat? I kind a want some fish sticks and chips and a cola soda."

Jake smiled, noting that he only had a single soda to drink. Since he hadn't eaten anything, He figured he'd spent the remainder of his time eating a good meal.

It was people like these that a sailor often did their best to return home to. Most sailors had family and friends waiting for their safe return. Some even had wives and children who were anxiously waiting for them to come back home. Though their safety could never be guaranteed, the longing for the return from the sea was in everyone's heart. It was this longing that made for a greater appreciation for what one had. The seas were a fickle place. Storms could capsize even the largest of ships. Buccaneers and Pirates could attempt a robbery or hold the boat and crew for ransom. And dangerous sea monster could be prowling the deep - just like the Bracken Sea Monster.

After a good hour sharing a meal together, Jake and Kera left the pub for the pier. The fresh breeze was calming, with the familiar scent of sea salt and brine blowing by. The anxiety of the port would not stop two lovers from enjoying their moment with each other. An up and rising sea captain and a lowly port official - it seemed to be a perfect match. The two talk for a bit more, with the two of them discussing a very interesting topic.

There were rumors of ghost ships appearing along the seas, especially when the Bracken Sea Monster was on the attack. The ship was usually too far away for sailors to note what it looked like, but the usual sign that the ship was nearby would normally be the sound of a bell. There were multiple tales of how ships managed to survive an encounter with the Bracken Sea Monster due to the sound of those bells and the appearance of the ship. The craft drew the creatures ire and let go of the ships, giving the now saved crew to haul ass as fast as they could before the monster had a change of thought. Nobody knew what the ship was, or even if what it looked like beside the ghostly silhouette that was on the horizon, but they were thankful to it, nonetheless.

Jakey had always been fascinated by the tales of ghost ships and what they meant. Ghostly specters were part and parcel with being on the open ocean. Ever since he was little he wanted to look at these ships in person, perhaps getting a good look at what vessel looked like when it was sailing the seas back in its day in the past. He would like to get up close and personal at one, looking at its spectral form and in all of its glory. He wondered if perhaps the SS Farstrider, his father's ships, was among those vessels who had become ghosts, aimlessly wandering the seas where they met their end.

Soon, Jakey and Kera were joined by Jimmy, who concluded the talk he had with the other captains. It was now to time to get a move on. There was plenty to deliberate as they walked down the pir to the SS Everstrider. The brothers expected the crew to be ready, and so set sail once tomorrow's weather permitted to do so. The rest of the port, meanwhile, was already busy with the sounds of scuttling sailors and dock workers. There were already several ships in port, and they were either being loaded up with cargo, or said cargo was being offloaded from the inner decks of the ships. It all seemed like everything was as it should be, with the dock hands and sailors doing their part in preparing to sail. But one look into the eyes of the sailors could tell that they were all stressed out of their minds. It almost looked as though they were hesitant about hopping back onto their ships to return to the water. Many of these sailors were rugged and well used to danger, with many of them having had to fend of pirates out in the open ocean. Black Claw Lester is not the only pirate that ships had to be wary of.

One thing that never changed were the mighty masts that made up the port walkways. The oaken timbers never yielded and never gave way, standing upright and bear the weight of crew and cargo as it all went about. These were the very masts that graced the like of Captain Maxwell and all of Jake and Jim's ancestors. And perhaps in the future their own children would walk on them as well.

The Everstrider came into view, with the ship's crew hard at work loading in crates and moving around barrels. The three walked the gangplank and walked on board the ship. From food, water, rum, gunpowder munitions and many more items, there was a great need for all of these things. They needed to make sure that any essentials weren't forgotten, for something as simple as forgetting a simple navigation tool would be detrimental to the voyage. The list would need to be checked twice over and more for revision to prevent this.

The Brothers' crew was as strong and brave as sailors got, for not even the most feared of pirates or storms would make them wince. But for as brave as the crew members were, even they were meek at hearing all of the stories surrounding the Bracken Sea Monster. Just like the other sailors on the port, the crew of the Everstrider was not all that excited to head back out to sea. But with their captains now in sight, the crew stowed away their fears and tried to carry on. They still had a job to do, and the only thing more fierce than a sea monster was the anger coming from the Sons of the Late Captain Maxwell.

A swarthy looking Poliwrath stood in the middle of the deck with a checklist in hand. This Pokémon was rather familiar, however--a veteran sailor with tons of experience, who the two captains had met before.

"Ahoy, Mister Davey. How go the preparations?" asked Jimmy as he approached the man.

The sailor was none other than Commander David, the right-hand man of their father from way back in the day. Though the old sailor was getting on in years, the man simply refused to retire. He preferred the open seas and the briny air in comparison to spending the rest of his golden years cooped up in home. In fact, Davey had become a mentor to the Azumarill brothers and was even largely responsible for their current success rate. He tutored the children of his late friend well, instilling them with values and making sure that they became every bit as capable as their father was.

"Twould be better, but everyone be on stinking edge, I tell you," Noted the commander. "I've never seen a sorrier bunch of sailors in me life, what with the mopey face that all these ingrates have. They seem more like little kiddies than men with stones to sink them to the ocean floor."

Jake and Jim noted to the commander's angst.

"Well, the news out to sea still isn't all that good," noted Jakey. "The beast has been calm these past few weeks. There hasn't been another attack recently, but who knows how things will go. I just hope to Arceus that nothing comes out of this."

"Since our destination is on this side of the sea, I reckon we ought to stay close and hug the shore," suggested Jim. "There's no need to head out to sea unless we really have to. The monster only goes after those who got to deeper waters, and much more if they get near the Bracken."

"Tis your call, boyo," acknowledged Davey. "I just don't like the looks on the men. I get the feel that they'd turn ship before..." David stopped talking as he noticed someone walk up the plank onto the ship. "Oy, you two, yer dear ol' mum is here. I think she be meaning to speak to you two."

The brothers turned around; sure enough, their aging Azumarill mother Maryanne was at the entrance of the ship. She smiled at her two sons, feeling glad to see them again. But she could not hide her anxiety, knowing full and well the danger that her sons were putting themselves in.

"Mother! I thought you'd still be at home," exclaimed Jimmy. "We'll be there in a bit."

The elderly pokémon's worry was clear for all to see.

"Oh James, Jacob, I've been so worried over you two. I know you two are preparing the Everstrider for another voyage, and I've heard so many terrible rumors about the monster that's out to sea. I just couldn't stop thinking how you two will be braving all of that danger."

The brothers chuckled at their mother's worry. All the while, Kera stood off to the side and allowed the family to reminisce and bond.

"We'll be fine, Mother," replied Jim. "Jake and I are making all the preparations we need. We're even planning on hugging the shore so the monster won't be getting too close."

"Plus, we just received a shipment of Explosive rounds for our cannons," said Jake with a bit of a mischievous grin. "We'll blow that oversized cephalopod clean out of the water!"

"And you don't think I'd be worried sick if you'd accidentally blow yourselves up in the process?" recounted Maryanne. "I just don't want anything bad to happen to you two."

Jakey and Jimmy walked up their mother to hug her. And with this, Jakey gave his vow.

"There's nothing out there that's going to keep Us from coming back to shore. Come giant sea beast or rogue wave, Big Bro and I will come back home no matter what," stated Jake.

"There's no beast Little Bro and I can't handle, Mother," added Jim. "I'll be looking after Jake's ass the whole way. And We'll come back home no matter what. I know Dad is looking down on us, and I know he'll keep us safe."

Maryann looked her children with a smile.

"I know you'll come back. I know you will."

This oath to return sounded awfully familiar. It was these words that the Maverick uttered to his two children on his last voyage. Though Jake and Jim had no intentions of being another victim to the Bracken Sea monster, their unwavering courage was a mirror image to the valiance and temerity of their old man. And for sure Maxwell would be so proud to see his boys become such well-renowned and experienced sailors. So long as they could count on each other, the brothers showed not a hint of fear.

But for now, today was not the day of their trip. Jimmy and Jakey would help their crew to prepare, checking and double checking the list so that nothing would go wrong. Even Kera lent a hand with the preparations that the brothers made, her work duties being to document the merchandise that the brothers were storing in the bowels of their ship. The day soon came to a close as the sun started to set behind the cliff of the cove. It was getting time to return home and prepare for the voyage. Tomorrow, the boys would be off to sea in the early morning. And nobody wanted to be left behind from going on another grand adventure.

Jakey spent the remainder of the evening with Kera, the two talking a bit outside before heading off to bed. The Floatzel lass had a worried look on her face, wondering if her boyfriend would be able to withstand the perils with heading out to dangerous waters once more. She didn't want to anything terrible to happen to him. But Jake planted a kiss on her cheek, swaying her fear as he urged her to remain calm here in the cove. There will be nothing that even a big sea monster could do when Mavericks like him and his brother head out to sea.

For now, rest was the only thing that could sway their nerves. The brothers would need their sleep. They had a vast journey ahead of them.

The following morning, the crew of the SS Everstrider were making final preparations to head out to sea. With the checklist having been triple and even quadrupole checked, there was nothing else remaining to hold them back. The sun was not even above the horizon, but already a light could be seen off just beneath the horizon. The mooring lines were removed from the pier, freeing the ship from her docking. The anchor was also lifted up, completely freeing the ship, and allowing it to move along to the side. The men all commanded their stations, ready to shove off at a moment's notice. All that was missing was for the captains to start the engines and set for open waters.

Jim and Jake were at the helm, turning on the massive engine of the ship and slowly lurching forwards. They maneuvered the ship out of the side off the dock and headed for open waters. Slowly the ship moved past ships that were to the sides of the harbor. Some were left abandoned by crew who were far too afraid to head out to the open sea. Other ships seemed to have extensive damage done to them, a sure sign of having had an encounter with a beast of some kind. But the sight of the devastated ships was far from intimidating to the co-captains. Come hell or high water they were going to head out to sea, and not even the Bracken Sea Monster would stop them from making their livelihoods.

The Everstrider eked out of the harbor and onto the open ocean. The sun was now just coming above the horizon, shining the blessing of the first rays of sunshine upon the weary crew and their captains. The crewmates all carried out their tasks now that they were out to sea, with Commander Davey keeping watch to make sure everything was done correctly and make sure nobody was slacking. It would be a long voyage, and there was no telling what any of them would come across.

For the brothers, there was nothing quite like the scent of the open sea to really make a male pokémon feel at home. This was where they belonged. This was where they and many more made their livelihoods. And a true sailor with stones the size of cannonballs would never shirk away from their duty.

The breeze soon picked up speed with the arrival of the rising sun. Being that the ship still had sail masts, it was clear that the ship was mostly a hybrid between sail power and diesel power. The crew hoisted up the sails as the captains turned off the engine. It was often times more economically sound to only use the engine whenever the winds were lacking. The ship would often glide through the water as fast with a heavy wind as it would if it used the engines. There was no point in spending any more fuel than necessary, and for sure the savings would only result in less business expenses.

As planned out earlier, the ship was hugging the coastline, being far enough out to sea to not be beached by a sand bar while still making sure to not draw the attention of the sea monster. But despite the precautions, the sailors on deck all looked weary and tired. Not too many of them had a good night of rest, the fear of what was out to sea keeping them up at night. It was a tension that even filled Jake and Jim with worry as well. But to say that they were going to let their fears get the better of them would be an underestimation to their courage. So long as they were strong, their men would follow suit. Even Commander Davey was amazed by how stout the brothers were.

Then again, he knew what their father was like; the boys were certainly chips off the old block.

Towards the afternoon, however, a storm seemed to be brewing along the coast. The increased wind would definitely help with sailing at a faster rate of knots, so long as the waves didn't capsize the boat. The weather stationed had even warned the captains the day before that there would be a Tropical Storm hugging the coast later on in the day - so to see choppy waters didn't completely throw the brothers into surprise. There was just the matter of keeping a cool head to make sure not to capsize the ship and send them all to a watery grave. And the further along the coast they went, the closer that the storm was getting to them.

Jake looked out the windows as the rain began to pour hard. It was a rather heavy storm, with the winds howling and tugging on the ship's sails. They were moving at phenomenal speeds, perhaps faster than they would if they were using the engines. And with high winds also came high waves. The SS Everstrider was not a terribly large nor heavy boat, with it still being tossed around quickly vigorously in the choppy seas. There was a real danger of someone being swept off the side of the ship and into sea.

Then again, the prospect of braving a sea storm was exactly the kind of things that the crew of the Everstrider relished the most. Most of the sailors were half-cracked as is, an insanity that made them see the dangerous waters more as a challenge then as something to avoid. The waves smacked against the steel railing of the Everstrider, sending water spraying onto deck. Though the danger was very real, none of the salty sea dogs took the danger to heart. One smack of a wave was enough to get them all howling and cheering in joy. They were coming alive with the hit of every wave.

Suddenly, a massive wave swept across the deck of the ship, tipping the boat slightly to the side. One of the crewmates was thrown off deck and landed into the waters to the side. But without wasting a minute, the overboard sailors used Aqua Jet to launch himself form the choppy seas and landing right back on deck again. The other sailors ran up to him and cheered in manic hysteria, happy to see him manage to come back on and being in good health.

"Boy, that was close," said Jimmy after seeing what he and his brother saw. "Manny sure did save his own ass out there. It's good thing he managed to rocket himself back on board. Otherwise, we'd have to turn around and go fetch him."

"Heh, reminds me of when that happened to us back in the day when we were starting out. Remember when we were knocked off of the ship and we also used Aqua Jet to get back on board? And remember how mad Captain Spencer was after that?"

The brothers reminisced on their past experiences, from the day that they were under the tutelage of another sea captain by the name of Augustine Spencer. The Walrein was a no-nonsense pokémon who'd quickly put the brothers in shape. But they were grateful to the old gentleman, nonetheless.

"Old Spencer really let me and you have an earful that time," recounted Jim with glee. "I can still remember all the curse words he threw at us that time. I've never heard a pokémon, let alone a sailor, cuss me out like how he did."

"Heh, maybe that'll teach you to be more careful when the ship is going through some dangerous swells. I got half a mind to do to Manny what Old Cap'n Spencer did to you, brother."

"Oh, hardy har, Jim. Like you didn't do a bunch a crap that got you yelled at too. I remember you got yelled at for lighting a match near the powder room," snarked back Jake.

"Hey, that was an honest mistake, Jake!" retorted Jim.

"An honest mistake that almost blew us up to kingdom come, Jim. Thank goodness none of the sailors here are smokers, otherwise some idiot might strike a match to lite a cigarette near where we keep the explosives ammo."

The brothers kept up their banter, reminiscing on the days of old. It was the sea storm like this that reminded them of the good ol' days, having so much fine while working as apprentices. Now the two had grown up and become captains of their own ship. Nothing would stop them from making a name for themselves.

If only their old man was alive today. The brothers tried their best to live up to the legacy of Maxwell, and for the most part they succeeded. They were known throughout the sailing crews of the sea as mavericks in their own right. The bravery that their father boasted had clearly been passed on to them. In fact, they were now even piloting a boat that was much large more technically advanced that the one of their father. They even managed to pay off the loan they took to buy the Everstrider in record time. The work ethic of the brothers alone was admirable. Their reputation of defeating pirates like Black Claw Lester the Crawdaunt only added to their reputation as those who shouldn't be trifled with.

But as the ship carried on, the sound of the intercom from the deck soon crackled, with the frantic voice of Davey yelling out to them.

"Oy lads, I think you might want to look off to the starboard side of the boat!" cried out Davey. For a sea dog like him to be startled meant something big was coming up. And the brother had a hunch as to what caused the commander to get in a tizzy.

A bulging shape was appearing in the water off to the side. It wasn't clearly visible what it was, but the sight was enough to put the dread in anyone.

"Uh, bro, are the Wailord pods undergoing their seasonal migration?" asked Jake.

"No. The whale pokémon prefer the open waters," noted Jim.

The figure soon came out of the water, and the shape of a massive Tentacruel soon appeared.

"Blooming hell, looks like we got a fight on our hands," noted Jake.

"I think it'd be a good idea to prepare the cannons, Little Bro. I'll stay here at the wheel and make sure that sucker doesn't get anywhere near us," stated Jim.

Jake agreed to the plan, running out of the control room to tend to the panicked sailors on the deck. On arrival, all the men had the look of terror on their faces. But with the presence of their captain, perhaps they'd settle down a bit.

"Alright, men!" began Jakey. "We got a bloody fight on our hands again. I don't care if we're facing Giratina himself. We have to go at it with all we got and throw everything we have at the beast. I'm not about to let a monster stand in our way. I'm not about to let a monster stop us from returning back to our homes, our families! Right now, We fight!!!"

And with this powerful speech, the men felt more confident as morale returned to them. Some of the sailors prepared the cannons that were on deck to fire. All the while, Jake addressed the commander.

"Commander Davey," Jake began to address, "you and the another bring as many rounds as you can from the beneath deck. We got to fend this thing off long enough to reach the armada. They're not more than a few dozen leagues away."

"Aye, Jake lad, I most certainly will. This won't be the first time I'll be fighting the clutches of this beast. I'll give her one helluva fight..." and before he headed off to bring in the ammunition, the commander gave the captain a strong reassurance: "This be for your father, lad."

Jake went up man one of the cannons himself. It would be an honor to seek revenge, and perhaps it was possible with the type of guns on deck. The cannons were all newer breach loading guns that fired cartridge rounds. They had much more power and accuracy than regular powder-loaded cannons. He grabbed a shell from his men as they brought the rounds to the deck. He had to steady his aim, lest they don't hit true and waste good ammunition.

Soon, all of the cannons were prepared and ready to do battle. All that was needed was his signal.

"Alright men, steady your aim!" called out Jake. His black trench coat was flapping in the breeze, feeling the air blow by him. "Ready!" he called out, hoping that his men were on target. There was hope that if nothing else the cannons would at least repel the monster, if not send it packing.

So the sailors could hope.

"FIRE!!!"

The sound of booming cannons was heard as concussive blasts were shot out. Some of the rounds failed to hit, but two of them made a direct hit on the beast. The explosive rounds tore the beast up, sending bits of tentacle and flesh flying all over the place. The creature roared a guttural roar from the pain, all while Jakey ordered his men to keep firing volley after volley at the massive creature.

But despite the direct hits, the monster still gave chase.

All the while, Jim did his best to steer the ship as much as he could out of the monster's grasp. He knew that if a single tentacle managed to latch onto the ship that they'd all be done for. It was for this reason that he turned on the ship's engine, using the power of both diesel and wind to get the Everstrider sailing at an even faster rate. He read the instruments on the control panel reading an incredible thirty knots, much faster than any other ship could get. He even hoped to steer the ship even close to the coast, hoping to discourage the beast from getting any closer. The only danger with that plan were the jagged rocks that poked out of the sea and any that were perhaps under the waves and out of sight.

The ship spent the next hour steering around dangerous sea rocks and going at full speed while the sea monster pursued it, being fired upon by the ship's cannons. The guttural moans that it roared were enough to put the dread in anyone, and it let out shrill screams every time a shot managed to strike it and send bits of viscera flying everywhere. But the monster continued chasing after, with vicious, murderous intend glaring outwards from it large red eyes.

Jim growled as he steered the ship around a sea rock, barely missing it as the rock gave the slightest of nicks to the ship's metal hull.

"Come, you old wench!" said Jim as he steered the ship straight again. "I won't let you give up on me now, you old tub!"

The Everstrider did its best to obey her captain. She maneuvered around rocks and went blazing across the waves at frightening speeds, her body groaning from the strain she was put under. All the while, Jake did his best to accurately hit the monster with as many rounds as he could. The men, despite their franticness, tried to aim true and hit the beast. But with the forces at play making it hard to aim, it was no surprise that several rounds missed the mark. All they could do was pray to Arceus that they'd reach Navy water and be rescued by a nearby battleship before they'd be caught.

But sadly, reaching the safety of the Navy had never been so far off...

The first tentacle latched onto the side of the Everstrider, slowing the great ship down. With the beast so close the cannons made quick work of the first tentacle. But the one that was blown to bits was then replaced by another one. It was clear who was winning in this battle as more and more tentacles slowed down the ship. The monster looked at Jake directly, as though it seemed to take an interest in him personally. It's look was that of rage and indignation, as this was the pokémon that's been ordering its arms be blown off. It seemed to see in Jake a pokémon it met once before; the captain of a ship that was the only other person able to deal serious damage to it. And when the monster got close enough, Jake could see that there seemed to be something sticking out from the bulbous head of the creature. He seemed to remember this ship part, as though he knew where it came from.

This part was a grey oaken bowsprit that was sticking out of the creature. This wasn't the only time it met serious harm.

Suddenly, a strange and haunting sound could be heard off in the distance. It was such a familiar noise, and it was loud enough to be heard past the creature's roars and the ship's groans. It sounded something like a bell, like the one that a ship would have to signal its arrival to a port. The bell sounded so familiar to Jake's ears. It began to remind him of his childhood and every time he'd hear the bell of his father's ship when it arrived to port. The monster roared as soon as the bells began to toll. The creature looked away from Jake and out to sea, where it seemed that there was something that caught its attention. Jake also looked out to see and couldn't believe what he saw. A ship was out there in the open waters, and the monster seemed to show fear as it looked at this ship.

"Booooooys..." said a faint voice from off in the distance.

It was rather far away so there was no way to know for certain what that ship was. But as Jake took a better look at it, he knew then and there that there was no mistaking what the ghostly looking ship was. Jim came out of the cabin to join his brother and the commander as his eyes could not believe what they were seeing.

"Booooooys!!!" screamed the familiar sound of a Maverick.

Davey and Jim were also staring at the same ship, and their mouths were to the floor as they heard the ringing bell and the undeniable sound of the ghost captain's voice.

"Impossible!" voiced Commander Davey.

Jim was awestruck, finding it almost impossible to speak.

"It can't be...." said a bewildered Jim. "Is that...?"

Jake gave a smile at the miracle he was witnessing.

"The Farstrider," he said. At this moment, the promise that his father made to him rang into his head. It was clear who was piloting this ghost ship, and why the creature seemed to be afraid. This was the ship that was protecting pokémon as they sailed in the ocean and kept the monster at bay. "Dad... I knew I'd see you again..."

And with that, the words of the Maverick echoed through the air as the SS Farstrider, now nothing more than a specter of its former glory, came into full view. The ship was now in full view for the shocked and bewildered crew of the Everstrider to see, and the ghostly figure at the helm of the old ship was seen in all of his majesty.

With one final bellow, Maxwell turned his ship to the monster and giving it one final demand:

"STAY AWAY FROM MY SONS, YAH SCURVY BEAST!!!"

The Bracken Sea Monster let go of the Everstrider as it went off to pursue the specter that was out to sea. The sound of the ghost ships bell ringing was now clearly heard, and echo of a past battle between a man and his greatest adversary. Such was the spirit of the Maverick, who even in death would come after the very creature that took his life and made it pay dearly for everything it took from him. And as the SS Farstrider turned around and went further off to sea, the monster came in pursuit.

The SS Everstrider was spared a grizzly end.

The crew cheered at their lucky break. Jakey and Jimmy especially breathed a sigh of relief that their ship was spared the monster's wrath. But even more important was that they knew the ghost stories were true. A ghost was indeed protecting ships from the Bracken Sea Monster, and more important was that it was the SS Farstrider. And even more so, the ghost of Maxwell was piloting it. Jakey was at a loss of words. He saw his father again, after all this time. He remembered the promise that his father made to him all those years ago, and the fact that he'd do anything to see his sons again.

It seemed that Maxwell, even in death, was intent on keeping his promise to his son.

"That was the blooming Farstrider, Jake!" said Jim with disbelief. "Bloody hell, I can't freaking believe it!"

"It was, Jim," replied Jakey with joy. "It was Dad. After all these years, we got to sea Dad again." Jake couldn't help but a shed a tear as it dripped down his face. He had reunited with his father, albeit for the briefest of moments.

Commander Davey was also at a loss of words after seeing the ghost of the ship and of his old boss and friend.

"Blooming hell... That's Maxwell for yah, boys," said the swarthy Poliwrath with a laugh.

And with that, the SS Everstrider continued on its journey. They still had to hurry to port, lest the monster decide to come back for more. But this monster attack was quite telling and it bore to bear new threat that it now posed to every sailor on the water. It meant that the Bracken Sea Monster was moving out of the Bracken into open waters. If it attacked the Everstrider this close to land, then that meant that nowhere was safe. For all they knew, the monster probably planned on crawling onto shore to attack the port towns that lined the beaches of Daegar. Even casual swimmers could be in deep danger.

Jakey and Jimmy took this dire omen to heart. Though their ship was spared by their father's ghost, that didn't mean that other ships would be as lucky. Right now, no ship that entered into these waters was safe, even those that hugged the shore. Action needed to be taken to fight off the monster before any more ships were attacked and sunk. And as the brothers steered their ship through the briny, storm filled waters and towards their port of call, they knew that there needed to be action. Explosive shells seemed to be the ones that worked the best in hurting the beast, so at least the monster was not as invincible as first thought.

This was a prospect that Jake and Jim looked forwards to.

They were going to avenge their father, one way or another...