Chapter 28 Meeting an old friend

Two days later,

Alex is currently at the pier of the Vermillion Port with his Pokemons Pikachu, Swablu and Dratini with Gengar in the Shadow and Espeon who has also decided to join them.

Alex has noticed the mischievous group giving too many sinister smiles in the past two days, so to curtail their enthusiasm from spreading to others, he called back his Espeon.

He has heard some frustrated screams of Elsa and Julius from time to time which confirmed they are up to no good these past few days.

At least with her around, they will not act too rashly and behave themselves.

When Espeon joined them in the past, the first thing she did was let Dratini and Horsea understand some basic things about the group and the do's and don't of the group.

The things such as what pokemon cannot be angered, who can bear some teasing but if you anger him, you will suffer and noone will rescue them, for example, snorlax and his food cannot be disturbed.

Back to present, Alex looks at the massive cruise in front of him.

S S Smith is a whole 260 meters in lengths, and breadth of 47 meters (154 ft), the passenger cruise ship tonnage is of 200,300 tons, and max crew-passenger capacity of almost 7,500.

Looking at the behemoth in front of him, Alex remember how small he really was.

Of course his Gyarados was at least half as long as how wide the ship was. This also reminds him of the biggest Pokemon, Wailord.

Although they are almost as tall as Gyarados, they are much wider and longer than an average gyarados.

With a Wailord, one doesn't have to worry about a sudden whirlpool or a heavy storm in the sea, for the blue whale behemoth could handle everything just fine.

While Alex was dreaming about owning a Wailord,( ignoring how the fact that one time feeding may turn him bankrupt), a sudden call brought him out of his thoughts," Alex."

Alex turns to the source, it was a handsome green haired boy who was only a few years older than him. It was his old friend, Bill Montenegro.

Alex asked his old friend surprised,"Bill, what are you doing here?"

Bill grins and said," What am I doing? I thought you were going to participate in the tournament my company was going to organize a month later, but look what you are doing? So where are you going? Can you return back to Kanto in time for the match?"

Bill fires his questions quickly at the young trainer, but he has yet to give him a chance to speak so Alex just smiles softly and waits for Bill to stop.

But it doesn't seem like he is going to stop anytime soon, but Espeon solves that problem, as she swept her tail at Bill making him fall on the ground.

This makes Bill turn to the one who swept him to the ground,he doesn't seem bothered by Espeon's action and simply said," Hello to you too, Espeon. You have grown more beautiful since the last time I met you." He tried to sweet talk Espeon and it seems to be working as how she just looked at him and bathe in his praise.

Alex just shook his head and thought,' No matter whether it is a pokemon or human, all the women just love being praised.'

" What are you doing here, Bill?"Alex asked his fallen friend while extending his hands towards Bill.

Bill took his hands and rises to his feet. He pats off the dust from his clothes and says," What I am doing here? What about the tournament a month later. It seems like you are going somewhere. And, it is a pretty long Trip with the amount of luggage you carry. " As he looks at the suitcase along with the thick backpack on his back.

Alex just smiled, " Sorry. Old man is sending me for some ruin exploration in Hoenn region. So most probably I cannot take part in that tournament."

Of course Bill doesn't like the refusal and shouted," Do you have any idea how much it cost me, to organize a tournament in the cruise ship?"

Alex was in dilemma since Bill was never one for monetary wealth, he is more of a scientist than a businessman, so his current behaviour was confusing.

" What do you mean?" Alex asked his friend while the pokemons just looked at the comedy man in front of them with mirth.

They made snide comments about him to each other and laughed.

" What do I mean? When you asked about any tournament taking place among the Rookie trainers, I specially decided to do one for you on S S Victoria a month later.

Do you know how difficult it was for me? My father made me do all the paperwork, permission as well as arrangement for that damm tournament you wanted.

Do you have any idea how torturous it was. I still get goosebumps when thinking about that experience." Bill was angry at Alex and neither of his pokemons felt the need to defend Alex enjoying the entertainment in front of them.

He started to walk towards Alex and when he was only half an arm distance from Alex, he pushed his fingers on Alex's chest and spoke,"I worked so hard for you and look what you are doing. You are making all my efforts go to vain. You better have a good reason for doing this?"

When Bill gave him the chance to explain, Alex thought of the reasons he can give and can get the most out of them. After a moment, he spoke,"I will be meeting Cynthia from Sinnoh region and, Steven Stone as well as Wallace from Hoenn region on the campaign."

Bill is confused by this answer, as he thought Alex may give some ridiculous reason or something about him doing an important task, but this was very much like him.

Bill know these people, he even met Steven once or twice. He also understands why Alex will do something like this. For the gathering of a some of the strongest trainers in his generation, it is a brilliant opportunity for Alex to meet them.

Alex looks at his green haired friend for how he will react. Bill did not seem to be angry anymore and said," Fine. If that's the case, I cannot deny that your things are important. So what about the brats who you were guiding back then?" He asked curiously.

Alex smiled meekly and rubbed the nape of his neck,"just encountered some problems on road, and their parents decided to wait for them to be a little more stronger before, they can continue to travel again."

Alex didn't say anymore and Bill didn't ask Alex to elaborate more.

He just shrugs his shoulders and said," It is their misfortune. Who knows if you will have time for that in the future. So how is your brother,Ben and sister, Clara doing? Did they miss their awesome big brother, Bill?"

Bill has visited Alex a lot since he rescued him, and so he has visited his new home near the Floral town. He also met his family there and Ben and Clara seem to like Bill too.

The amount of stories and cool gifts he keeps sending them has made Bill the second coolest big brother of the duo, but nothing can make shake Alex's position in their heart.

He has also met his youngest sibling pair. But those two doesn't like him as they often start cry when he holds them in a hug or touch their cheeks. Alex takes great delight in reminding Bill and laughing at him.

The two are close friends as he gave him quite a serious talk due his low days. Others friends such as Lance, Lorelei, Daniel were others who often called him and decided to get his news at the recovery days.

" They are quite busy with Alan and Helen to remember an idiot like you." He joked with Bill.

Bill just glowered for some time and then said," If I was in their place, I would do it too. Anyway, there are more important things to talk about, do you know anything about the trio you are gonna meet later. "

" No. Other than their name and some of their basic information and Pokemon, I don't know anything else about them." Alex told his friend.

Bill laughed loudly on hearing this, making the people around them look at Bill with different expression, probably thinking something was wrong with his head. At least Alex and Espeon felt that way.

Bill placed his arm over Alex shoulder and the two walks to the cruise ship.

" Don't worry,Alex. I know a lot about them. I will be your guide in this endeavor. You don't have to thank me." Bill said.

" But how, you know that the campaign has people limit and I heard that all the six thousand tickets of the cruise ship are sold. So how are you going with me?"

" Oh. You don't know. For that tournament you spoke to me about, I bought five cruise ships. And this S S Smith is among those five ships I own. I am sure they will make special arrangements for their owner.

And there are always about two hundred rooms free in a cruise in which fifty are for VVIP people and my dear friend Alex, both of us are gonna be the VVIP of this cruise ship.

Let's head forward, Alex. " Bill explained the future plans for them without asking for Alex's consent.

Bill dragged Alex towards the cruise ship while Espeon just shook her head at his attics and just follows behind them.

After a while,

Elsa and Julius along with six other people who follow behind them with their luggage.

" That idiot boy, he is lucky he doesn't meet me. Or, I would have taught him how to behave in front of a princess." Elsa grumbled to herself while heading for S S Smith.

But Julius just shook his head and thought,'We were lucky to not meet him, or ....'