Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ (Part B) by Michael Keens/ Exodus  

Three other Grunts with vacuum packs attached to their backs started sucking 
away the Pokéballs that weren’t properly attached, some would be hidden away 
and it would be necessary to force trainers to give them up.  

“How come they attacked this ship?” asked Chad.  
“Because!” yelled the leading male called Ben, “That’s why we handed out the 
free tickets, to get people that were loaded with Pokémon to come on this 
cruise ship.  So that we could nab ‘em all and give them to the big boss and 
get our old jobs back, that’s why!”  
“We just let you have some battles so that your Pokémon would be worn out 
before we made the scene.” explained the female, Becky.  
“Well you won’t get my Pokémon!” yelled David who had reached one of his 
Pokéballs.  
“Scyther! Cut the ropes!”  
“Scyther!”  
A couple of slashes later and the ropes around David fell apart.  
“I never lose, especially to criminals like you! Scyther! Go!”  
“Bug-type, eh? Grunts! Release them!” shouted Becky.  
“Grooowwllll!!!”  
“Maggg!!!”  
“Arcanine and Magmar...” groaned David.  
“We knew there’d be people like you and brought all the Pokémon we need to 
nullify the problem.  Go!”  
Both Pokémon breathed flames and hit the Scyther.  
“They won’t beat us, they haven’t the level advantage.  Scyther, jump up and 
Slash!”  
“Fire Spin!” shouted some Rockets and the Scyther was hit in the air and 
collapsed.  
“This can’t be happening, even if there are two of them, we never lose...” 
panicked David.  
“They’re at a higher level than you expected!” shouted Chad, “Switch, 
quickly!”  
“Return Scyther, Go Charmeleon!”  
“Grunts...” Becky simply said as if telling them exactly what to do.  
“Blastoise!”  
“Slow... bro!”  
They both shot off some powerful Water Guns and drenched the Charmeleon.  
“This isn’t happening...” panicked David.  
“Char!!!”  
The Charmeleon fell to the floor and another Pokéball was thrown.  
“Weezing!!!”  
“Guys...”  
Next to appear was Hypno and Alakazam.  
“Weez!!!”  
The power was astounding, David wondered how much training those Pokémon must 
have had to destroy his on the first hit.  
He didn’t consider the type advantage to be part of the problem.  
“Hand them over.” said Becky while Ben approached Chad.  
Thoughts flew through his mind:  
Chewtoy...  Ragecage...  Entwine...  Boulder...  Dux...  And Hydro...  
Chad’s powerful Pokémon team, and his buddies, he refused to just let them be 
taken away from him.  
He stretched out, hoping his muscles would break the rope, but it was made of 
strong materials, he tried to reach his Pokéballs but all he could get to was 
the Great Ball from the kitchen...  That could work.  
“Don’t make me get nasty.” said Ben, drawing a knife and waving it across 
Chad’s face, “I used to be a butcher.”  
“Chew on this...” said Chad before turning his body and hurling the heavy ball 
into the man’s face.  
The knife went spinning into the air, Chad turned around and waited for the 
blade to fall and cut the ropes.  
It sliced through.  
“And perfect, just like the movies.” said Chad raising his arms and noticing 
the gash on one of them, “Close enough.”  
He removed his scarf to cover the wound.  
“One Great Ball is easily worth the cost of keeping all my Pokémon.” he said 
before he realised it wasn’t out of his range.  
It was on the edge of the boat, Chad made a run for it but the boat tilted and 
it bounced into the water with a solid splash.  
“Oh well...” he said and summoned Chewtoy and Ragecage, though they looked 
exhausted.  
“You can’t hope to win, your Pokémon are too weak to fight!” shouted David.  
“Attack that guy!” ordered Chad.  
Ben drew another knife but Chewtoy yanked it away with his teeth and Ragecage 
jumped onto his face and pounded it constantly.  
“Get off Monkey Boy!” he shouted throwing it off, Chad immediately charged and 
punched the man, then kicked his leg to make him fall.  
The Rocket was pretty dizzy and was seeing stars.  
“I know you...  You’re...”  
Chad delivered one final punch and the man went down, but there were still 
three Rockets with a hoard of Pokémon.  
“Ala!”  
“Monchan!!!”  
“Hypno...”  
“Monlee!!!”  
They all started attacking and Chewtoy and Ragecage screamed out.  
“Hold on guys!”  
“Recall them!” shouted David, but Chad ignored him.  
“Entwine! Boulder!”  
The Water and Fire Pokémon came back out and shot off their attacks.  
“Dux! Hydro!”  
“Buzz!!!”  
“Mag-Na-Ton!”  
The Electric Pokémon appeared and fired on the Pokémon.  
The Rocket Grunts were fully prepared for any type of Pokémon.  
“You can’t let them stay out and be tortured!” shouted David.  
“Yes I can!” shouted Chad, “I’d rather have them get hurt than being taken away 
from me, its for the greater good!”  
“They’re dyin’, man!” replied David.  
“Guys! Switch opponents!” shouted Chad.  
All of Chad’s Pokémon screamed out and attacked a Pokémon they were better 
suited against and did surprisingly well.  
Since working with Tetsubo Capture, Chad had encountered many Rockets and his 
Pokémon had taken on many challenges where they learned to think on their own.  
That experience helped now especially, unlike David, Chad’s Pokémon were no 
longer his pawns, they didn’t have the need for individual commands quite so 
frequently and as long as Chad gave the go-ahead, they would attack with what 
they felt was right.  
“I never admitted it while I was with you.” Chad said quietly, “But I owe you 
so much.”  
The Pokémon were what David had said, high level, Chad’s Pokémon weren’t doing 
too great, except for Boulder who was invulnerable against the Electric attacks 
and was pounding away at the Electric-type Pokémon.  
The other trainers were surrounded by Rockets, but they seemed occupied, 
wanting to watch the battle since they were in custody of the opposing Pokémon.  
Chad could plainly see that he couldn’t do this alone, he learned that while 
travelling with the kids too.  
“If Tetsubo could rally passengers to stand up to Rockets, then so can I.”  
In the past, Chad would have let his overconfidence get the better of him which 
would probably have led to a defeat in Vermilion City and the loss or even 
death of his Pokémon here.  
He knew he had to put his pride aside just this once.  
“Come on David, Timothy, release some Pokémon and get in there.”  
“But I’m scared.” said Timothy, still bound by the ropes.  
“And there’s no way we can win.” added David.  
“So you’ll just let your Pokémon be snatched by these guys, huh? Isn’t it worth 
fighting for your Pokémon?”  
“Dude!” yelled Boulder throwing the Electabuzz down, the Magneton started 
screeching and then blasted Boulder down with an ongoing Sonic Boom attack.  
“Come on!” screamed Chad, “We can outsmart them, starting with the defeat of 
the Electric Pokémon!” Chad shouted at David.  
“But my Graveler is weakened.” moaned David.  
“Come on!” Chad shouted again.  
David bowed his head down, then released it.  
“Graveler, I want you to attack those Electric Pokémon, however you want.”  
“Grav?...” it questioned, not used to having its own opinion, it leapt forward 
and rolled into a ball to crash into the Magneton.  
“Geo!”  
“Graveler...”  
“Geo!” shouted Boulder getting up and throwing itself down on the Electabuzz.  
“The Electric-types are dealt with, bring out the Water-types!” shouted Chad.  
“Not so fast!” shouted Becky.  
“Viiii!!!”  
“Ivysaur!!!”  
“What now?” asked Chad untying Timothy’s ropes.  
“We shouldn’t use Water just yet, but Flying-types are okay.” suggested David.  
“Dux!” yelled Chad.  
“Doduo!” called out Timothy.  
“I thought you were scared...” joked Chad.  
“I’m not alone now, I’ll fight my fears as long as someone stands by me.”  
The birds flew forward and pecked the Grass Pokémon.  
Dux then started hitting the Ivysaur with its leak and dodged the Razor Leaves 
while Doduo used its Drill Peck to make short work of the Victreebel.  
“Grass is down, Water Pokémon can join the fight! Go Hydro!” shouted Chad.  
“Golduck!” shouted David.  
They jumped the Fire Pokémon and drenched them in water.  
“Fire’s down! Get the Bug and Grass Pokémon in!” yelled Timothy releasing his 
Vileplume and Beedrill.  
Entwine and Timothy’s Haunter were let in also, the Grass-types went for the 
Water-types and the Bug and Ghost-types attacked the psychics.  
“The psychics are down.” said Chad happily, “Ragecage, you’re home free!”  
“Mankey!” he cheered.  
“What are you doing?!” yelled Becky, “Unleash ‘em all!”  
“Licki!”  
“Hooaarrghh!!!”  
“Golem!”  
“Don!!!”  
“Ragecage! Get the Rock Pokémon!”  
“You too Machoke!” added Tim’.  
They nodded to each other and went to do some punching.  
The new Pokémon seemed all the Rocket’s had left.  
“Boulder! You done?”  
“Geo!”  
“Grav...” said the Graveler, he’d cover the Electric-types, literally.  
Boulder punched the Lickitung, then blocked a charging Tauros, being part Rock, 
damage by Normal attacks were reduced and his Seismic Toss would give him the 
edge.  
“Dux! Finish up those fighters!”  
“FARFETCH’D!” he yelled after a cool heroic pose, the Doduo held its ground 
against the Grass-types.  
Dux was too fast for the fighters and used its Agility to seemingly teleport 
around them and peck and slash with its beak and leak.  
Becky was getting nervous, the only flaw was that they had only compensated for 
one team of Pokémon at a time, not three.  
“This was so carefully thought out, we brought every Pokémon to counteract any 
other type, and we brought two of each type to guarantee our success, how could 
we have failed?...  Now the Boss will never give us our old jobs back, and I 
hate cleaning duties so... “ moaned Becky, “Hey! Are you listening?!” she 
shouted at her partner.  
“Wha?...  I don’t wanna go to school today, mom...” said the dizzy man.  
“Idiot.” commented Becky before noticing that the Scyther had cut the net and 
all the trainers were free.  
“Give us back our Pokéballs!” they yelled.  
“Yipes...” squealed Becky.  
“Geo!” yelled Boulder, triumphant and sitting on a Lickitung followed by a 
Tauros, he was so triumphant that he glowed white...  
“... Graveler!!!”  
“I can’t believe it, Boulder evolved...  Yeah baby!!!” yelled Chad.  
“Suck up more Pokéballs and let’s escape!” yelled the female Rocket carrying 
her partner, the Grunts activated their packs again and the trainers couldn’t 
fight them or they’d lose their Pokéballs that had to be held onto.  
“Boulder! Rolling Tackle!”  
He soon ploughed down the Rockets and broke their machines, the Pokéballs came 
out and rolled towards their trainers.  
“I kinda feel sorry for those Rockets.” commented Chad, Becky’s eyes lit up 
hopeful, “So let’s make their defeat look nice and convincing for this boss she 
keeps talking about, you guys are going out with a bang.  Boulder! Self 
Destruct!”  
The Rocket Grunts screamed as Boulder glowed white and exploded, throwing them 
into the air.  

“Its back to cleaning toilets for us...” moaned Becky.  
“Wha?...” asked Ben.  
“Just stay dizzy, it’ll make the impact hurt less...”  

The crowd cheered for the three, but especially for Chad.  
David approached him a little nervously, “Chad, I seriously underestimated 
you.”  
“No you didn’t, you beat me, remember?”  
“No, I mean the Rocket battle, you were right to keep on fighting, and I 
respect you for that, I’m honoured to have battled alongside you.”  
“You changed after your first loss.” commented Chad.  
“I guess I realised my Pokémon aren’t perfect, I think I’ll rethink my whole 
training program and take types into account from now on.”  
“And Timothy, you’re braver than you look, keep it up.”  
“After todays performance, I’m not surprised I lost.  You’re a great trainer 
and I hope we can battle again in the Pokémon League.”  
“Me too.” added David.  
Chad shook hands with the both of them and then turned to face the old 
captain.  
“You saved all the Pokémon.  I watched it all, we were going to have a 
tournament tonight and the prize was 2, 000 credits and my secret Pokémon move, 
but since the deck is destroyed and since you saved everyone, I think you 
deserve it.”  
“Aw wow! 2, 000 credits and a new move?!” shouted Chad ecstatically.  
“Of course, we’ll have to take the 2, 000 to repair the boat.”  
“Darn...” said Chad.  

The boat was able to go on despite several holes in the deck, and a huge party 
was held in Chad’s honour.  
Even the chefs were impressed and gave Chad all the food he wanted.  

That evening, Chad looked out at the lights of Celadon City from the deck.  
He felt very happy that he had become the hero he so desired to be in these 
people’s eyes and realised that he hadn’t shouted heroically nor referred to 
himself as Chad the Chosen.  
He had just been... himself, not that he would give that up totally, he was 
naturally heroic but the title and acting was a major obsession for him.  
His Pokémon watched with him, all healed up and happy.  
They saw how much he cared about them and were all acting nice, rather than 
psyched for battle.  
Dux had been taught how to cut things with its simple leak, but it didn’t help 
his ego from getting too big.  
“Guys, you’re the best Pokémon a guy could ask for.  You have strength, courage 
and heart.  You complete me and make me the hero I aim to be.”  
“Cate.”  
“Mankey.”  
“Gela!”  
“Graveler...”  
“Farfetch’d!...”  
“Squirtle!”  
Then Chad saw something in the water.  
“Entwine, use Wrap on me and lower me down.”  
He eased the vines around him softly but firmly, and soon Chad returned with 
something.  
He held it up triumphantly.  
It was the Great Ball that allowed him to escape, he was sure he had lost it.  
“Alright, now everyone got something, you guys got experience, Dux got a new 
move and Boulder evolved, and now I’ve got-”  
A light exploded from the ball and formed into a yellow duck with a strange 
expression.  
“... A brand new Pokémon?!...” finished Chad a little surprised.  
“Psy...”  
“Alright! CHAD THE CHOSEN HAS CAUGHT A PSYDUCK!”  
Heck, it was tradition to do that.  
“Psy!...” said the Psyduck holding its head.  
“Welcome to the winning team, ‘Headache’.  You’re gonna fit in fine and soon 
you’ll be a great Golduck and my best Psychic Pokémon.”  
“Psy?...” it said somewhat confused.  

Chad retired to bed and arrived in Sunny Town Port the next day and had Chewtoy 
sent home to Professor Acorn in Powder Town.  
Now filled with a great feeling of success, Chad headed onwards on his Pokémon 
Journey.  

End of Part B  

Back to Part A
Back to the Side Stories
Back to the Pokézone