The next morning, Brother Jin arrived early at Su Feng's doorstep. He couldn't fathom why Su Feng always seemed to need him precisely during his days off. But he shrugged it off—Old Chen had promised extra vacation time after this mission.
Wait, didn't he say that last time too?
As Jin brooded, the villa door swung open. Su Feng emerged in a tailored suit, dragging his bottomless backpack and lugging a microwave-sized contraption—the incubator.
"Yo, Little Jin! Didn't keep you waiting long, did I?" Su Feng cheerfully tossed the incubator into the car and slid into the back seat.
"You did."
"Glad to hear it! Let's roll."
"I said you did keep me waiting."
Slam! Su Feng shut the door with finality.
Brother Jin: "…"
Portside Preparations
According to Old Chen, the gathering would be held aboard a luxury cruise ship—the S.S. Anne. Su Feng packed his Pokémon team, streaming gear, and the mysterious incubator. First time seeing the ocean in this world…
The sea covered 71% of the planet, teeming with far more Pokémon than land. If time allowed, he'd stream a marine Pokémon showcase.
After a three-hour drive, Jin parked at the bustling port. The colossal S.S. Anne loomed ahead, its hull gleaming under the sun.
"Why are you still here?" Su Feng raised an eyebrow.
"Old Chen assigned me as your bodyguard," Jin grumbled. I'd rather endure Old Xu's drills than this guy's antics.
"Sweet. Free luggage carrier." Su Feng tossed the incubator at him. "Carry this, peasant. To the ship!"
Jin: "…"
Boarding the S.S. Anne
At the gangway, a polished attendant stopped them. "Sir, the S.S. Anne is invitation-only. May I see your credentials?"
"Invitation?" Su Feng blinked. Old Chen forgot to mention that?
Jin stepped forward, handing over a black-and-gold embossed card. The attendant's demeanor flipped instantly.
"Apologies, sir! Your panoramic suite on the top deck is ready. Shall I escort you?"
"No need." Su Feng strode past her, Jin trailing like a shadow.
Once they were out of earshot, the attendant frantically dialed her supervisor. "Madam Zhang! Someone just boarded with Old Chen's VIP pass. Young guy, military bodyguard… Yes, I gave him the presidential suite."
Live from the Deck
Su Feng leaned against the railing, seabreeze tousling his hair. He launched a drone and hit "Go Live."
[OMG HE'S STREAMING!!]
[Grandma! Your fave streamer's back!]
[Where is this? The ocean?!]
"Hey folks! Quick impromptu stream before the main event. For the next two days, I'll be aboard the S.S. Anne, exploring marine Pokémon!"
Suddenly, a school of ray-like creatures burst from the waves, gliding effortlessly above the water. The drone zoomed in, capturing their sleek forms.
[Are those… flying fish?]
[Love needs courage to face six-eyed flying fish~]
[Stop singing!]
[Wait, are they gliding?]
"Those are Mantyke!" Su Feng explained. "The smaller ones evolve into Mantine—the larger ones. They don't fly; they glide for hundreds of meters using their wing-like fins."
He pointed to Remoraid clinging to a Mantine's sides. "See those suction-cup fish? They're Remoraid, living symbiotically with Mantine. Remoraid hitch rides and share food, while Mantine gets extra defense. When Mantyke evolves, Remoraid's help is crucial. But once bonded, Remoraid can never evolve themselves."
[That's so sad!]
[True friendship sacrifice…]
[Do they count as one Pokémon in battle?]
"Nope! They're a team—a package deal. But don't underestimate them. Mantine's strength lies in cooperation, not raw power."
Woo—! The ship's horn echoed.
"Gotta dash! Full stream tomorrow. Bye!" Su Feng signed off, ignoring the chat's howls of betrayal.
Suite Shenanigans
Jin dropped the incubator in the lavish suite, eyeing the floor-to-ceiling ocean views. "Why'd you bring this thing?"
"Egg-sitting duty." Su Feng patted the device. "This baby's hatching something big. Keep it safe, will you?"
Before Jin could protest, Su Feng vanished to explore the ship.
Two days of this… Jin sighed, already exhausted.
Little did he know, the S.S. Anne's voyage would be anything but smooth sailing.